title: A cost-effective and simple electronic solution to communication with patients with tracheostomy in a burns and intensive care setting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ventilated patients in ITU (intensive treatment unit) tend to be challenging to communicate with, especially patients who are being weaned. These patients usually have tracheostomy in situ and use means such as writing or letter boards to communicate. The situation becomes complex in patient groups that have burn injuries with bulky dressings and restricted upper limb function. We demonstrate a low cost, easy to use, potentially disposable system that can display words on any television screen via patient input device for such patient groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  The system consists of input device incorporated with Arduino microcontroller (an open-source electronics prototyping platform based on easy-to-use hardware and software intended for creating interactive environments) and 4 generously oversized control buttons. These are used to control the cursor movements (up, down, left, right) while a fifth has a "select" function. These are large enough to be pressed by an entire bandaged hand using gross upper limb movements only. A standard television is used to display menu containing the 26 letters of the alphabet and a flashing cursor. The patient selects the required letters/icon by moving the cursor and the words so created are displayed along the lower part of the screen for the carers to read. It is envisaged that anyone with basic craft skills should be able to construct this device.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This device is a self-contained, cost-effective, simple, and open-source system that can be used effectively to bridge the communication gap with significant potential for patient care globally.
authors.affiliation: From the *Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, Morriston Hospital, Swansea, United Kingdom; and †Mersey Regional Burns and Plastic Surgery Unit, Whiston Hospital, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Javed
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dingley
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Dickson
authors.forename: Kayvan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shokrollahi
mesh_terms: D002056:Burns / Q000628:therapy; D003201:Computers; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003422:Critical Care; D006801:Humans; D009633:Nonverbal Communication; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D013690:Television; D014139:Tracheostomy; D006113:United Kingdom; D014584:User-Computer Interface