SBIR-STTR Award

A software package for augmenting the communication of individuals with disabilities, called the Reconfigurable System for Augmentative Communication (RSAC), is proposed. This system incorporates a variety of techniques for increasing text production rate of individuals who cannot speak and have motor deficits, with a concomitant reduction in the physical load of communication. RSAC employs state-of-the art character and word prediction techniques which exploit the redundancy of written language, embedded within a completely reconfigurable graphical interface structure which can emulate most current augmentative packages. Each major component of augmentative communication - display, selection, translation or synthesis, and prediction - is incorporated within separate modules of the proposed architecture. Complete coverage of current techniques within each functional module allows for extensive customization to individual user's needs. Besides providing a comfortable and intuitive operating environment, the graphical nature of RSAC makes possible the exploration of innovative accelerative communication techniques. Empirical research into graphical interfacing methods to reduce the cognitive and physical loads associated with predictive systems will provide valuable information on assistive methods, as well as establishing the viability of the RSAC design. Techniques to be examined include cuing likely elements for quicker selection, embedded word prediction display, and optimization of element layouts.Proposed commercial application:RSAC is targeted at the hundreds of thousands of individuals with impaired verbal and motor skills, to augment their otherwise slow and laborious communication. Secondary applications include development of communication and written language skills for persons with learning disabilities and for the very young, language production for individuals with hearing deficits, and keyboard emulation to provide computer access to persons with poor motor skills.National Institute of Human Development (NIHD)

Continued research and development of a comprehensive software aid for assisting persons with communicative disorders is proposed. The Integrated Modifiable Package of Augmentative Communication Technologies (IMPACT) incorporates a wide range of established and novel techniques for accelerating communication embedded within a customizable framework. Many augmentation techniques rely upon a statistical engine which can accurately predict future language elements for immediate use selection. A series of investigations into prediction methods based on statistical language models will be undertaken. Studies will examine possible gains in communication rate provided by new methods of augmentation. The software for IMPACT will be ported from C code written for the Unix X environment to C++ code for the Microsoft Windows environment. A hierarchical graphical interface will be designed to provide users, clinicians, and researchers with varying levels of control over the sophisticated options which define the appearance and function of the package. The system will be field tested by users of AAC technology.PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: The IMPACT software is targeted at the 2.3 million Americans with severe communication disorders, providing augmented communication capabilities in an inexpensive and convenient package. A significant secondary application is for predictive data entry in environments where traditional keyboard support cannot be provided due to size limitations (pages, cell phones, and electronic organizers) or environmental restrictions (public data kiosks and telephones).

Thesaurus Terms:
biomedical equipment development, clinical biomedical equipment, communication disorder aid, computer program /software, computer system design /evaluation computer graphics /printing, computer human interaction, language, psychological model, speech synthesizer medical rehabilitation related tagNational Institute Of Child Health And Human Development