About the need Knower
Master Vonal Heath is a 10-year-old Grade 3 student with cerebral visual impairment (CVI) and cerebral palsy (GMFCS Level III). These conditions make it challenging for him to complete daily tasks independently, especially activities that require precise hand control and visual focus.
His Challenges in Communication
Master Vonal uses a specialized keyboard to type simple words for communication. However, he struggles due to:
- Lack of persistent hand control
- Visual impairment – Cannot easily distinguish letters on a crowded keyboard.
- He can't grasp words but easily recognizes letter sounds.
His Interests & Strengths
Despite his challenges, Master Vonal has strong cognitive abilities and enjoys learning through stories, pictures, and audio cues. He is also socially active, engaging well in teamwork and collaborating with his classmates.
Needs
Master Vonal Heath faces significant challenges in communication due to his limited hand mobility, lack of precise control, and visual impairments. He uses a specialized keyboard to type simple words,
Need knowers Necessitates
- Provides hand support to improve mobility and control.
- Uses key blinders to limit visible keys and reduce visual distractions.
- Moves along with his hand to assist in precise typing.
- A need knower needs to have an audio-supported device to recognize a specific word.
Ideas and Sketches
According to master Vonal Herath's challenges in communication we came up few solutions.
1st idea
2nd idea
3rd idea
3rd idea was accommodative device for his keyboard. He has following issues,
Can't identify the keys in the keyboard, Can't press keys independently.
So we designed assistive device with following modifications,
sliding armrest to move hand, Blinders to limit the surrounding key appearance.
Prototype
with 3rd idea we move to prototyping. Our prototype consists of three main components:
The Arm-rest
An armrest is essential due to the effects of cerebral palsy on the need knower, which impact his motion control. He is unable to independently coordinate his arm across the keyboard. Therefore, the armrest serves as an assistive device, providing support for easier and more controlled movement.
Rail for Arm-rest
We design and print a rail to move the armrest seamlessly. This serves as the structural base, providing guided back and fourth movement and stability. It ensures smooth and controlled hand motion, reducing unnecessary strain while allowing flexibility in positioning.
Adjustable blinders
Blinders were used to cover unnecessary keys on the keyboard, allowing the user to focus only on the required letters. These blinders can later be adjusted based on the individual's visual complexity level.
Final Design
Our final design combines the railing system, Arm-rest, and blinders into a complete assistive device. It provides hand stability, guided movement, and better key focus for easier keyboard use. This assembled prototype is ready for real-world testing and refinements.
Model demonstration
Results
First Trial with the need knower
This is Vonal trying out the product for the first time. The demonstration is not perfect cause vonal is in require of skill training Video Source
Future Prospects
Following improvements aim to enhance accessibility, usability, and overall user experience, making the assistive device more effective in real-world applications.
Adjustable Arm-rest & Keyboard Angle
Enhancing flexibility by allowing users to customize the armrest height and keyboard tilt for better ergonomics and comfort.
Customizable Support
Developing adjustable blinders and hand rest options tailored to individual user needs, ensuring maximum comfort and efficiency.