A multiple camera tongue switch for a child with severe spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy.
OBJECTIVE
The present study proposed a video-based access technology that facilitated a non-contact tongue protrusion access modality for a 7-year-old boy with severe spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy (GMFCS level 5). The proposed system featured a centre camera and two peripheral cameras to extend coverage of the frontal face view of this user for longer durations.


METHODS
The child participated in a descriptive case study. The participant underwent 3 months of tongue protrusion training while the multiple camera tongue switch prototype was being prepared. Later, the participant was brought back for five experiment sessions where he worked on a single-switch picture matching activity, using the multiple camera tongue switch prototype in a controlled environment.


RESULTS
The multiple camera tongue switch achieved an average sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 80%. In three of the experiment sessions, the peripheral cameras were associated with most of the true positive switch activations. These activations would have been missed by a centre-camera-only setup.


CONCLUSIONS
The study demonstrated proof-of-concept of a non-contact tongue access modality implemented by a video-based system involving three cameras and colour video processing.
Leung
Brian
B
Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Chau
Tom
T
D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D002648:Child; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities / Q000295:instrumentation; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D014059:Tongue; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014741:Video Recording / Q000295:instrumentation*