The Tongue Drive System Enables People with Severe Disabilities to Be More Independent and Productive

Controlling a powered wheelchair or a computer mouse with the movement of your tongue seems like something only seen in a science fiction movie, but recent clinical trials show that this assistive technology developed by engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology can help people with severe disabilities unable to move their arms lead more independent lives.

A tiny magnet is attached to the tongue and works like a mouse pad with the tongue as a cursor. By moving the tongue forward, a wireless signal is sent to sensors in a headset causing the wheelchair to move forward. Moving the tongue backwards causes the chair to go into reverse. Unlike other power wheelchairs that rely on a sip and puff method, this chair only needs a headset and tongue chip, which is less conspicuous for the user.

Technology has enabled me to remain productive and to maintain a full time job after my disabling accident that left me paralyzed from the neck down. As a C5/C6 quadriplegic I can’t move my fingers, but thanks to computers, adaptive equipment, and the limited movement left in my arms I am still able to transform the thoughts and ideas in my brain into valuable business contributions.

Unfortunately, remaining productive has been more challenging to some people with a more severe disability than me. Therefore it is needless to say that I am thrilled to read that this latest technology also allows more persons with a severe disability to use a computer more easily. Assistive technologies like these open the door to more people who would like to join the workforce in today’s information age where your brain is much more important than your physical capabilities. Now, if we can only help business leaders understand these potentials…

More info about the Tongue Drive System can be found at the Georgia Tech Research News Site or by reading the Clinical Trial Report by Virtual Medical Worlds.

Hiding a Wheelchair Chest Strap

If you need a chest strap to hold you upper torso in your wheelchair, you probably know that visually it can be one of the first things people notice when they meet you. In this video, Luc shows us how he is able to hide the chest strap effectively while still keeping it completely functional.

One Person Really Can Make a Difference

When Ken Fredgren moved into a new town, Reston, he found that he couldn’t get around nearly as well as in his previous town. Ken lives with complications related to polio and uses a small scooter to get around in stores and shopping areas. But what he found in his new town was a lack of ramp access and well-positioned disabled parking spaces.

Through his involvement with the Reston Citizens Association, he founded the Reston Accessibility Committee in 2007, and since then this group has printed brochures, visited business, and raised awareness of access issues for the disabled. This effort has paid off and the community is now much more accessible to those with mobility disabilities.

We just wanted to recognize Ken’s work and effort that one person really can make a positive difference for so many others. Thanks Ken.

You can see the full story here: http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/cms/story.php?id=939

In Memory of Tim Barbato – a Young Disability Advocate

I would like to dedicate this post in memory of a young disability advocate named Tim Barbato. I landed on Tim’s blog when I was doing some research on experiences of people with a disability attending college. Tim has been a quadriplegic since he was born and was adopted shortly after birth. Doctors had told his parents that he would never be able to sit or talk or even be able to breathe without the help of a ventilator. But Tim had beaten all odds and by the time he was three years old, he was already able to read. Tim was home schooled for a while, but he went to elementary and high school just like anyone else. He became a disability advocate at a very young age and his severe disability didn’t stop him from participating in various activities at school.

Tim wanted to go to college to learn how to be a social worker so he would be able to help others be able to help themselves. During his senior year in high school he started checking out colleges and wrote in his blog in a lot of detail about the accessibility issues he ran or did not ran into. Tim wanted to live on-campus and be as independent as possible while attending college. I am very touched by Tim’s ambitions and his positive outlook on life despite of his severe disability. I encourage anyone with a physical disability who is thinking about attending college to check out Tim’s blog. I was looking forward to read some more of Tim’s experiences in the future but found myself devastated instead when I read a note posted at the bottom of his last post by his school aide conveying the sad news that Tim had become ill with pneumonia last November and had passed away a few weeks later. It is really a shame that this had to happen because I am sure that Tim would have continued to make a difference in this world considering what he had been able to accomplish already at such a young age.

Tim has been in my thoughts ever since I read his blog and my only solace is the thought that such a great young man can only have ended up in a happier place.

Feel free to read more about Tim’s inspiring and touching story here.

Amazing Quadriplegic Sailor Crosses the Atlantic

Earlier today I found this story and knew I had to post and share it. Geoff Holt, a man paralyzed 25 years ago in a diving accident recently crossed the Atlantic in a personal 60-ft catamaran. Amazingly, he did ALL of the sailing himself.

To me, the thought of sailing solo across the Atlantic is incredibly daunting, but to do it with a severe mobility disability is astounding, and I wish all the best to Geoff and his family.

BBC news has the full details of the story for those who want to find out more about Geoff and his journey.

Video on Using an Electric Leg Bag Emptier

In this video Luc talks about the benefits of using an automatic, electric leg bag emptier and the difference it has made in his personal freedom and his health. Thanks to the electric leg bag emptier, he can drink as much as he wants without having to worry whether someone will be available to empty his leg bag when it gets full. And urinary track infections have become a distant memory.

You might also want to look at our previous story on using an electric leg bag emptier.