Tuesday, September 1, 2009

New Communicative Technology

Today's The Globe and Mail ran the story of a man with cerebral palsy who spoke his first word through new communicative technology. In front of his mothers and caregivers, Dung Le, 27, spelled out the word "mother" using his mouth.

Professor Tom Chau of the University of Toronto and his colleagues developed the device, which pairs an infrared camera with computer software that recognizes when an individual opens his or her mouth. A screen cycles through the alphabet, and users open their mouths to signal when the desired letter is shown.

The developers hope the device, which is projected to cost $2000, will aid individuals with severe mobility restrictions.

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