POCUS PROJECT: ADAPTING THE CONTROL OF THE MANUS MANIPULATOR FOR PERSONS WITH CEREBRAL PALSY.

Hok Kwee, Ph.D. and Jacques Quaedackers, Rehab.Eng.,
iRv Institute for Rehabilitation Research, NL-6430 AD Hoensbroek,
Esther van de Bool, O.T., Lizette Theeuwen, O.T., and Lucianne Speth, M.D.,
Rehabilitation Centre SRL-Franciscusoord, NL-6301 KA Valkenburg.
The Netherlands.

Abstract

Under the POCUS Project, interactive studies are under way to adapt the control of the MANUS Manipulator for children and young adults with cerebral palsy. Various control approaches are implemented and tested with 5 test persons, ranging from 8 to 29 years, in an integrated clinical and special education environment. With the ADAPTICOM configuring method, control configurations are designed which pose minimal demands on coordinated control input from the user. They only use 2 or 3 switches and timed responses, to control all gripper movements in space in a sequential way. For each user the controls are individually adapted, ranging from large push buttons on the lap board, a switch joystick, head-controlled switches, or an individually-moulded hand-held grip with 3 integrated push buttons. Cognitive aspects are of major importance, and much effort is invested in guidance and training as an integral part of the study. In two cases, a PC labyrinth game with adapted interface facilitated initial training of basic concepts of movement control and mode switching. Experimental results halfway the project are quite promising: a first formal application for a personal MANUS provision is already made by one of the test persons, while user spin-offs in related domains have also been obtained.

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Last modified: Thu Jan 21 10:38:39 PST 1999