• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.99-105
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study was to compare AAC service delivery system between Korea and U.S.A for appling effective 'AAC service delivery system. This delivery system complement the missing part in system of the current method and narrow blind area for system. The result of this research, increase suppling item of assistive communication device in public benefit and provide delivery system through construct infrastructure by assistive technology center, special education support center, developmental disorder support center, speech therapy center in each local area. Furthermore, assistive technology-related institute and academy develope training programs for human resources to delivery AAC service.

• 재활복지
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.115-139
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study is to examine the awareness and demands from assistive technology professionals on the service and propose practical methods for AAC service. This study selected subjects who are experts working in 10 assistive technology centers and survey was conducted among 69 assistive technology professionals. Results from this study are presented as follows. First, many assistive technology professionals learned AAC through school course. Second, there was a significant difference in the presence of using AAC experience regarding their general awareness of the understanding and interests on AAC. Third, many responders said that it is significant to provide AAC information and extend supports for AAC users and providers. They added that demands of AAC will grow in the future and engineering-based ACC instruments will take up the most market. This study will enable AAC service to offer basic data to establish more efficient supportive direction for AAC users and providers of the assistive technology center.

• International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.43-58
• /
• 2023

This article is a spinoff of a doctoral study that was completed at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) in 2018 on provision of information services to persons with visual and physical impairments in public university libraries in Kenya. The article examined how ICTs such as internet, e-resources and e-databases, word processing, websites and more were being used in public university libraries to provide access to information by visually and physically impaired persons. Data were collected from the visually and physically impaired students, University Librarians, Systems librarians, staff from disability departments and library staff who provided services to visually and physically impaired persons. The findings revealed that the visually and physically impaired persons in most of the libraries could not access information owing to lack of the necessary assistive and adaptive technologies and weak institutional support and framework. The study recommend that the libraries improve assistive technology infrastructure, embrace new assistive technologies such as telepresence robots, virtual realities and more, and put in place enabling policies and capacity building programmes for library staff to enable them to provide services to persons with impairments.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.63-70
• /
• 2010

Research and development of Assistive Technology (AT) for blind people is primarily focused on assisting mobility and improving access to information. Some particularly useful devices for aiding access to information and communication are DAISY players used with talking books, screen readers for reading screens, video magnifiers to aid low vision, Braille displays, and Braille PDAs. These essential devices have been successfully commercialized and have assisted many visually impaired people. Assistive technology devices for visually impaired people are called sensory substitution devices, because these devices substitute tactile or auditory functions for visual functions. The tactile interfaces of sensory substitution devices such as Braille displays and Braille PDAs have a bimorph type of piezoelectric actuator that forms a Braille (pin) of the Braille cells by moving up and down. KGS Corporation of Japan has more than 80% share of the worldwide market for these Braille cell actuators. Commercializing it for the first time in the world. This paper reviews the various endeavors in Japan in the research and development of tactile displays, such as Braille displays and Braille PDAs. Furthermore, it discusses sensory substitution devices that use tactile displays, focusing especially on the rotating Braille display we have developed.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.581-596
• /
• 2010

The purposes of this study are to investigate and analyze the level of information and the state of digital divide of the disabled by surveying the demand for information and communication assistive devices, and to provide basic data for plans on the development and utilization of information and communication assistive devices. In order to understand the actual condition and the state of digital divide of persons with disabilities, the differences of possession and accessibility of information technology devices, usage ability, and utilization were analyzed according to the disability profile by using the T-test. The results show that there are significant differences (T=-2.510*) of possession and accessibility of information technology devices with respect to the disability profile, and that the disabled have lower possession and accessibility of devices than the non-disabled. Result of this study's demand forecast shows that about 28% of total respondents are currently using information and communication assistive devices, and a majority (67%) of them answered that the use of assistive devices lend great help to their lives. The proportion of those who have been supported by the government or related organizations with information and communication assistive devices were 36% of the total respondents, and those satisfied with the performance of the devices were 46% of the total responses. Meanwhile, only 36% of total users answered that the operation and use of functions of the devices was easy and convenient, responding that the difficulty of operating assistive devices was the greatest inconvenience. Moreover, the general requests of respondents in regards to the devices were stabilization of device performance, miniaturization of size, simplification of buttons, and reduction of weight.

• 재활복지
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.225-257
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study is to find the application point of hearing augmentation technology development through examining the risk context experience of people with hearing impairment and the use of assistive device used as an alternative technology. Data of 355 people with hearing impairment with official disability grading was analyzed. The results of this study are first, research participants had no experience of recognizing any sound or vibration in situations highest in the order of means of transportation, material, and nature. Especially the ratio of being unable to recognize the sound and vibration of means of transportation was high, which implies the high possibility of people with hearing impairment experiencing risk. Secondly, the risk context that people with hearing impairment will most likely to experience are highest in the order of traffic accident, pedestrian accident, and daily life at home. Thirdly, the recognition of 2G phone/smart phone, vibrating digital alarm clock, light bar, vibrating wrist watch as assistive device for risk context awareness and notification was high and the satisfaction level of 2G phone/smart phone was the highest. Fourthly, the research participants had high recognition of assistive device for communication in the order of hearing aid, smart phone, videophone, cochlear implant and 2G phone and it was found that the satisfaction level and communication improvement level was the highest using the smart phone. Lastly, for the development of hearing augmentation technology the research participants recognized the importance of portable/wear convenience, price, and motion accuracy and for notification delivery means they preferred the method of using sight(text and light). Based on the results of this study policy and practical plans for hearing augmentation technology development for people with hearing impairment in risk context are proposed.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.37-43
• /
• 2012

We conducted a user-centered usability testing on the Android-based Mobile Augmentative Alternative Communication(AAC) Software. In this paper, we examined functionality, satisfaction, and ease of information searching for a specific function using a task scenario, and we investigated appropriateness of development purposes, contents, instructional strategies, usability, functions of management mode, and user interface of the mobile AAC to the communication needs of children who are nonverbal. We also examined user requirements, preference, satisfaction, and other personal opinions for the mobile AAC using an open feedback. In addition, we investigated users' preference for the size of mobile devices using 4.3", 5.0", and 7.0" mobile devices.

• Korean Journal of Audiology
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.105-111
• /
• 2014

Assistive listening devices (ALDs) refer to various types of amplification equipment designed to improve the communication of individuals with hard of hearing to enhance the accessibility to speech signal when individual hearing instruments are not sufficient. There are many types of ALDs to overcome a triangle of speech to noise ratio (SNR) problems, noise, distance, and reverberation. ALDs vary in their internal electronic mechanisms ranging from simple hard-wire microphone-amplifier units to more sophisticated broadcasting systems. They usually use microphones to capture an audio source and broadcast it wirelessly over a frequency modulation (FM), infra-red, induction loop, or other transmission techniques. The seven types of ALDs are introduced including hardwire devices, FM sound system, infra-red sound system, induction loop system, telephone listening devices, television, and alert/alarm system. Further development of digital wireless technology in hearing instruments will make possible direct communication with ALDs without any accessories in the near future. There are two technology solutions for digital wireless hearing instruments improving SNR and convenience. One is near-field magnetic induction combined with Bluetooth radio frequency (RF) transmission or proprietary RF transmission and the other is proprietary RF transmission alone. Recently launched digital wireless hearing aid applying this new technology can communicate from the hearing instrument to personal computer, phones, Wi-Fi, alert systems, and ALDs via iPhone, iPad, and iPod. However, it comes with its own iOS application offering a range of features but there is no option for Android users as of this moment.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.49-54
• /
• 2012

In this study, an E-learning system was developed for vocational rehabilitation training of intellectual disabilities. The developed system is available to have acquirement of knowledge through step by step learning and is configured to relearn through problem-solving and demonstration video. In addition, the learned information was composed to check the configuration which is correctly learning through rehearsal function. The device for rehearsal consists of a transmitter and the receiver. The transmitter is formed Pressure sensor, IR sensor for detecting client's work and Bluetooth module for wireless network. The receiver includes a Bluetooth module for wireless network and USB input terminal for communication with computer.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.65-70
• /
• 2011

A communication is one of the most important factors for the human beings. Therefore, people who have some problems in communication need an Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) intervention to live in the human societies and several AAC systems have been developed to help the people. Lately, smart-phone is widely used to people as a communication device which can connect between persons. It can provide many useful methods and Apps to the user. If the AAC system is unified to the smart-phone, it is very effective device to the people with disabled because they can reduce the excessive expense and easily accommodate themselves to the AAC system. In this paper, an AAC program which is installed in the smart-phone or tablet PC is introduced. It has basic AAC solutions and can send SMS message to other people. We expect that the developed device can help the communication of the people with disabled and solve the social isolation of the disabled person.