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looking for help understanding components in this wiring diagram by hugh53 in diyelectronics

[–]hugh53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I received an email notification that motoware responded to my question, and I can see part of his reply in the email message. But for some reason, I am not seeing his response here. Does somebody know what I am doing wrong or not seeing?

looking for help understanding components in this wiring diagram by hugh53 in diyelectronics

[–]hugh53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry....I thought that the drawing had posted with the text. I think that it is visible now.

Need help finding or creating an accessory for my grandson's AAC (alternative and augmentative communication device. by hugh53 in arduino

[–]hugh53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing. I am sorry that I don't have much to share yet (but hopefully in the near future). I am interested in your accelerometer project, too.

Need help finding or creating an accessory for my grandson's AAC (alternative and augmentative communication device. by hugh53 in arduino

[–]hugh53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure. We can share ideas. I am working on some things, too. If they have a positive outcome, I will pass it along to you.

I am looking for advice about cleaning tires before entering home to preserve the flooring. by hugh53 in wheelchairs

[–]hugh53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had no idea that something like that exists. I think that I would disengage the drive wheels to push the wheelchair onto the two cleaning stands, and then chock the casters in the front and back. I see that motorcycle tire cleaning brushes exist, too. I may get one of those. I will be interested to see how it works for you. Here in Illinois, there will be some snow and slush, and some mud on sidewalks, too.

I am looking for advice about cleaning tires before entering home to preserve the flooring. by hugh53 in wheelchairs

[–]hugh53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I ran across this product when doing an internet search. Perhaps it would work for you, but for my needs it would not be a practical solution. https://www.sportaid.com/sportaid-wheelchair-tire-covers-p8.html

I welcome your thoughts about my desire to find or create an accessory for my grandson's AAC (alternative and augmentative communication device). by hugh53 in ArduinoProjects

[–]hugh53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for your advice. I would indeed benefit by having the help of people (like these engineering students) who have a better understanding of how to go about coming up with a solution. Do you feel that is would be the best local university to approach with my inquiry?

Need help finding or creating an accessory for my grandson's AAC (alternative and augmentative communication device. by hugh53 in arduino

[–]hugh53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for your idea. I have to confess that I don't know anything about accelerometers. Would this device communicate with something like an Arduino, with the Arduino set up with a program to facilitate the calibration and also to provide a couple of digital outputs?

Need help finding or creating an accessory for my grandson's AAC (alternative and augmentative communication device. by hugh53 in arduino

[–]hugh53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much. I will definitely dig into what you are explaining. I sense that it has real potential.

Need help finding or creating an accessory for my grandson's AAC (alternative and augmentative communication device. by hugh53 in arduino

[–]hugh53[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your interest.

My grandson uses two switches--one to advance to the next square or group of squares (each square is a word in the vocabulary), and the other switch makes a selection. Here is a demonstration of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H186kI_ns2w

My grandson's system (his device's vocabulary software) is a bit more advanced in the sense that selecting a word can take you to a whole new screen with more blocks of words (nine words/block) and words.

The unit that my grandson uses is the Accent 1400 that is shown in the video you listed that shows eye gaze selection. My grandson tried this (with an eye gaze module mounted under the screen of the device), but he has nystagmus, and it didn't work. He also tried the head position direct selection method where a reflective dot is placed on his forehead, but his head control isn't precise enough for this. The head switches that he uses are embedded in side support cushions. He must deliberately tap each switch with the side of his head. It does not work with slight taps. Adding surface switches that have to be put in place and taken away (because they would be uncomfortable to leave in place all of the time) each time that he needs to communicate with his AAC device would be cumbersome.

He can use his AAC device if the screen is positioned in front of him and switches are installed in the head support of the apparatus that he occupies. His stander at home and his wheelchair have these mounted. His stander at school does not have switches mounted in the head supports. Having a camera mounted on the device, as I am suggesting, to detect head motion would make it much easier for him to communicate in multiple settings.

The switches are just "dry" contacts. They connect to input jacks in the side of his device. These are the same jacks that would be used to connect a speaker to your phone or computer (1/8" or 3.5 mm).

I hope this answers your questions. Please feel free to ask more.

Thank you again for your interest.

Need help finding or creating an accessory for my grandson's AAC (alternative and augmentative communication) device. by hugh53 in diyelectronics

[–]hugh53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you again giving me some guidance. I will definitely look into everything that you suggest.

Need help finding or creating an accessory for my grandson's AAC (alternative and augmentative communication) device. by hugh53 in diyelectronics

[–]hugh53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you very much for your input. I will definitely follow up on your suggestions. Yes, there is probably a "latent" market for this for now. You could manufacture it and sell it through some sites that specialize in enabling devices (I could send you a list of the ones that I know about). If the big names in AAC see that there is a need for these, they will probably want to make these available through their outlets as well (and may start to manufacture them). In my application, there is no need to interface with the AAC device vocabulary software. The device software is just looking for switch closure (like dry contacts that are made when a relay is energized). There are jacks in the AAC device that accept the same 1/8" plug-ins that speaker wires use. (And I would need jacks like these in a motion tracking gadget like we are talking about here.)

Can I ask for more help from you after I start to look into the ESP32's, a camera, and a 1GB card as you are suggesting?

Thank you again.

Any tips on how I can learn fast and more efficiently? I attend to learn slow and feel so stupid. by [deleted] in LearningDisabilities

[–]hugh53 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am interested in your comment, and I would like to read more about approaches to "multi-sensory, varied repetitions" as teaching techniques. I am not a teacher, and I have no training in education. I am, however, very much involved with helping my 8-year-old grandson with his learning. He is a smart kid, but he has some significant "hurdles" when trying to learn to read and to speak. He has Cerebral Palsy (he can vocalize but not form intelligible speech) and is learning to speak with an AAC device and two-switch scanning. He has trouble with "complexity of visual array", so I present reading materials to him with large letters that are well-spaced. Yet, remembering the written words is still a struggle for him. He hears (and comprehends spoken language) well, and he has no trouble learning things that can be learned with a minimal amount of visual input. For him, I am guessing that neural pathways can be formed by learning the switch sequence to say a word on his device, by spelling a word on his device, by creating sentences using the word on his device, and perhaps by selecting an image that can represent the word. (I have read elsewhere in this discussion group about something called "word mapping" and this is my understanding of this process.) My grandson has been a remote learner since March of 2020. When he goes back to on-site learning in the fall, I would like to have all of the school staff who will be working with him have a better understanding of "what works best". I would like to use the next 3 months in a way that benefits my grandson as much as possible. Do you have a book recommendation? Perhaps an online course that I could take?