A new communications technique for the nonvocal person, using the Apple II Computer.

Area of Science:

• Assistive Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Rehabilitation Engineering

Background:

• Severely handicapped individuals often face challenges with vocal communication.
• Existing assistive communication technologies may have limitations in cost, portability, or accessibility.
• Personal computers offer potential platforms for developing customized communication solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a nonvocal personal communication technique for severely handicapped individuals.
• To demonstrate the adaptation of standard software (Visi-Calc) for communication purposes.
• To outline a method utilizing pseudo-Morse code input via a two-switch device.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an Apple II computer system with Visi-Calc software.
• Implemented a pseudo-Morse code input method via a two-switch device, controlled by chin or finger motions.
• Employed the JHU/APL Morse code interface card for input.
• Adapted Visi-Calc's row-column matrix features for sentence retrieval and modification.

Main Results:

• A functional nonvocal communication system was developed using readily available hardware and software.
• The system allows users to generate and modify stored sentences for personal communication.
• No specialized programming experience or unique components (except the interface card) are required.

Conclusions:

• The described system offers a viable nonvocal communication method for severely handicapped individuals.
• While cost-effectiveness and portability require further study, the system leverages existing personal computer resources.
• The technique is replicable, requiring minimal technical expertise for implementation.