MND patient regains independence through eye controlled home
Sarah Ezekiel, who suffers from motor neurone disease, has regained independence and control of her home life, thanks to leading-edge eye tracking equipment supplied by assistive technology specialists RSLSteeper.
Sarah was diagnosed with MND in 2000, and had become dependent on other people for everything, having lost the use of her hands and the ability to speak as the condition progressed.
Sarah had been using a laptop controlled via a switch on her chin. This was causing Sarah severe neck pain, and she was concerned that she would be unable to communicate in this way for much longer.
Now, thanks to a Tobii PCEye installed by RSLSteeper, which works by converting eye movement to a mouse cursor on screen, Sarah is able to control her computer and communicate with the outside world again.
Sarah has also had a programme installed on her PC, which gives her control over the television and media centre, as well as switching on and turning off lights, all through eye control. Sarah had been unable to complete these tasks without assistance for many years.
Dave Howson, Director of Assistive Technology at RSLSteeper, said:
“Eye-tracking technology from Tobii has the potential to revolutionise the lives of patients with MND, giving back independence and control over the home environment.
“The next stage in the process for Sarah will be to further automate the home, giving Sarah control over door entry and an intercom system, all via eye-gaze technology.”
RSLSteeper provides a comprehensive range of assistive technology solutions designed to enable the elderly and severely disabled to live more independently and safely at home.
The company is accredited to ISO 9001 for Environmental Control System design and can offer advice on appropriate devices and systems for each customer. Its dedicated team of specialist engineers can install, maintain and service these systems, and can provide on-site training to users and their carers.
For further information, please visit www.assistive-technology.co.uk
For further information on the eye gaze technology, visit http://www.tobii.com/pceye
ENDS
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