Distributed cognitive aid with scheduling and interactive task guidance.
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A cognitive assistive technology system has been designed for use by people with memory and organizational impairments. This system will provide a distributed architecture for both scheduling assistance and task guidance, as well as intelligent, automatic replanning on the levels of both the schedule and individual tasks. A prototype of this architecture has been developed that focuses on interactive task guidance capabilities. Scheduling software has been developed but not fully integrated with the task guidance features. The system has been preliminarily tested through simulated trials, monitored use of the prototype in a clinical setting, and usability trials of the task-design interface with rehabilitation professionals. Participants were able to respond appropriately to cues provided by the system and complete prescribed tasks. (+info)
Process factors explaining the ineffectiveness of a multidisciplinary fall prevention programme: a process evaluation.
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Introduction and preliminary evaluation of the Tongue Drive System: wireless tongue-operated assistive technology for people with little or no upper-limb function.
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We have developed a wireless, noncontact, unobtrusive, tongue-operated assistive technology called the Tongue Drive System (TDS). The TDS provides people with minimal or no movement ability in their upper limbs with an efficacious tool for computer access and environmental control. A small permanent magnet secured on the tongue by implantation, piercing, or tissue adhesives is used as a tracer, the movement of which is detected by an array of magnetic field sensors mounted on a headset outside the mouth or on an orthodontic brace inside. The sensor output signals are wirelessly transmitted to an ultraportable computer carried on the user's clothing or wheelchair and are processed to extract the user's commands. The user can then use these commands to access a desktop computer, control a power wheelchair, or interact with his or her environment. To conduct human experiments, we developed on a face shield a prototype TDS with six direct commands and tested it on six nondisabled male subjects. Laboratory-based experimental results show that the TDS response time for >90% correctly completed commands is about 1 s, yielding an information transfer rate of approximately 120 bits/min. (+info)
Use of accelerometry to measure physical activity in older adults at risk for mobility disability.
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The authors explored using the ActiGraph accelerometer to differentiate activity levels between participants in a physical activity (PA, n = 54) or "successful aging" (SA) program (n = 52). The relationship between a PA questionnaire for older adults (CHAMPS) and accelerometry variables was also determined. Individualized accelerometry-count thresholds (ThreshIND) measured during a 400-m walk were used to identify "meaningful activity." Participants then wore the ActiGraph for 7 days. Results indicated more activity bouts/day > or =10 min above ThreshIND in the PA group than in the SA group (1.1 +/- 2.0 vs 0.5 +/- 0.8, p = .05) and more activity counts/day above ThreshIND for the PA group (28,101 +/- 27,521) than for the SA group (17,234 +/- 15,620, p = .02). Correlations between activity counts/hr and CHAMPS ranged from .27 to .42, p < .01. The ActiGraph and ThreshIND might be useful for differentiating PA levels in older adults at risk for mobility disability. (+info)