I read an article in the newspaper about a young lady with this problem and it was so moving. So I came here to ask if anybody knows something about human-computer interaction for this person. They can only move the eyes and have small mouth movement.
http://www.clarin.com/sociedad/Paralizada-aprendi-hablar-ojos_0_1018098333.html
Brain-computer interface is such a tool to help locked-in patients to control devices directly using EEG signals. However, much of BCI research results are still in laboratory stage. There are also dose assistive technology that using eye movement to provide control signal, but I don't know much about this.
A couple of technological achievements for locked-in patients:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-10/hasf-uab101613.php
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20471-sound-test-could-identify-lockedin-patients.html
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-mind-people-locked-in-syndrome.html
http://phys.org/news/2011-02-locked-in-patients-happier-thought-.html
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-02/nyph-bip022411.php
http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1878772,00.html
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18293-lockedin-man-controls-speech-synthesiser-with-thought.html
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-09/uou-tbs090110.php
http://news.sciencemag.org/brain-behavior/2010/07/locked-patients-can-follow-their-noses
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/513597/
Regards,
Joachim
Look at Cyber Oko:
http://www.pg.gda.pl/?kat=aktualnosci&id=5145
Unfortunately the page is in Polish - but you may find some links there
The technology you are looking for is brain-computer interface (BCI or brain machine interface (BMI). Even though most of current research is ongoing in the lab level, however, there are few labs that might be able to provide LIS patients with a system to run a test and see how it could help. Just google these names and you will find their contact details:
Dr Jonathan Wolpow (Wadsworth, Albany, NY)
Dr Niels Birbaumer (Germany).
Also g.tec ( Guger Technology) which is a company active in providing BCI product is a good place to search for a possible developed product.
Finally maybe having a look at these videos give you a better idea of how BCI can help LIS patients.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrVNNd3MXPU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JL5e2bu2eyw
Most of clinical BCIs for patients is still in the phase of research (see e.g. DECODER project). Moreover there are problems in BCIs application in patients with complete locked-in syndrome (CLIS).
It is hard to find any commercial systems for this specific application. Custom made systems exist, such as the one developed for Stephen Hawking. But, these can be extremely expensive.
If needed, you have to develop your own Brain Computer Interface or Brain Machine Interface system which could be built at a low cost. Check the attached file and see whether it offers any help.
A few years back, and inspired by a locked-in child, we have developed a customized prototype system that uses eye-tracking to communicate with the surrounding world using pictograms. The system was validated but did not go into production. Details are provided in the attached paper.
Dear Anibal
"Locked-in syndrome", can be the result of motor neurone (Lou Gehrig's) disease, multiple sclerosis or a devastating brain injury. People who are locked in often communicate via tiny eye movements or facial twitches. But sometimes even this may be impossible. Soon they may able to communicate just by listening.
Neuroscientist Jeremy Hill aims to use hearing to open up lines of communication for even these most isolated patients. He and his team at the New York State Department of Health have developed a new brain-computer interface. It can detect if someone is paying attention to one spoken word or another by measuring the pattern of electrical activity in the brain.
In the new system, users wear headphones and listen to alternating voices: a male saying "no" in the left ear, and a female saying "yes" in the right. The act of paying attention to the "yes" voice over the "no" produces a distinct electrical brainwave pattern. That can be picked up by electrodes on the scalp, and translated by Hill's algorithms to create a computerised "yes" output.
Locked-in syndrome expert Steven Laureys of the University of Liege in Belgium is supportive of the new approach. "I think it's very important to offer alternative tools that do not depend on eye movements. We need to adapt to the specific sensory impairments of each individual patient," he says.
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