iPad App for Cerebral Palsy Patients Developed by Michigan Engineering Students

iPad App for Cerebral Palsy Patients Developed by Michigan Engineering Students Video Clips. Duration : 3.17 Mins.

A University of Michigan team of engineering students and rehabilitation engineers is building an app to help people whose impaired motor movements make it hard to manipulate touch-sensitive screens or press the small buttons on iPads and other mobile devices. tinyurl.com

Keywords: coe, c&m, University of Michigan, College of Engineering, Michigan Engineering, university, michigan, engineering, college, ipad, app, application, mobile, mobile communications, mobile device, software, touchscreen, cerebral, palsy, impaired motor movement, disability, touch sensitive, keyboard

Ingenuity of Engineering Students Meets iPad Technology

The rewards of getting into this field of work is not simply because the mechanical engineering salary is a little more than decent, no. As mentioned before, mechanical engineering itself is a broad field and once you get into the area of software engineering, that's when the magic occurs.

A perfect example of where ingenuity and engineering skills collide to benefit society is in the story of how a bunch of Michigan University engineering students took Apple's iPad hardware and technology and turned it into a life-changing device.

Ipad Keyboard

The group at Michigan University collaborated with a team of computer science students to come up with an application that allowed a woman who suffered from cerebral palsy to go into a Starbucks and order herself a coffee despite her disabilities: motor skills in addition to difficulty speaking. And it was all achieved via the iPad's application technology.

Ingenuity of Engineering Students Meets iPad Technology

They came up with the idea when they were paid a visit by one of the representatives from the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, whereby the representative asked them to come up with a solution for children who were suffering from debilitating diseases (and other impaired fine motor control and brain injuries), to allow them more easily utilize touch screens or mobile devices with small buttons.

This may be an effortless task for most of us, but to cerebral palsy suffers, this is no easy feat. The buttons on these modern touchscreen devices are so small that it makes operating them very difficult. The team wanted to make it possible for people with such disabilities to manipulate these mobile devices as easily as they do with their keyboard-driven computers at home.

From there, the software engineers were to create a smart app that turned the entire iPad screen into one huge button that is more easy to use. How the application works is, that all keyboard functions are separated into horizontal and vertical columns and each row and column would be highlighted in order - the keyboard keys would continually loop in this manner until the user touches any part of the screen. The selected key would be the one that was highlighted when the user pressed on the touchscreen.

It may seem like a very slow way to type but it allows these children with disabilities to operate the iPad and other similar touchscreen type devices without the help of their guardians. That small bit of freedom goes a long way.

Ingenuity of Engineering Students Meets iPad Technology

Why the iPad Might Be Good For Students

Recently the iPad, Apple's tablet computer, has been revealed to the world. There is still quite a bit of speculation as to what people will do with this device. One area of discussion is whether or not something like the iPad will be good for students.

With a 10 hour battery life and simplicity in design it's possible that a small computer like this starting at 0 will become a fairly popular gadget for students while going to school.

Ipad Keyboard

It has a keyboard attachment that can go with the tablet meaning it will be a lightweight device that can be used to take notes in class. This will be very much like the portability of a netbook.

Why the iPad Might Be Good For Students

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• Connect the dock to your computer with the USB cable included with your iPad to sync iPad and charge its battery
• Connect the dock to a stereo or speakers using an AV cable or a stereo audio cable to play music from iPad
• Use the dock to hold your iPad at the perfect angle to compose email
• Connect the dock to a TV or video projector using a compatible cable such as the iPad Dock Connector to VGA Adapter
• Connect the dock to an electrical outlet using the iPad 10W USB Power Adapter to charge the iPad battery

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The attached keyboard features a sleek anodized aluminum enclosure with low-profile keys that provide a crisp, responsive feel and an ultracompact design that fits on even the most crowded desk. Special keys provide one-touch access to a variety of iPad features - the Home screen, Spotlight search, display brightness, picture frame mode, the onscreen keyboard, and screen lock.

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Apple will have a book store where students might be able to purchase works they need to read for class and even at some point in time textbooks taking the weight out of carrying books around campus. One can also read thousands of books simply by having a web browser.

Since it is low power technology, parents won't have to worry about their college student getting a nice laptop and gaming all day long. While there will be some games on the iPad they won't be as complex as some PC games that require hours of time.

Most schools have deals with Apple to give discounts. The 0 price might come down even lower for students going to certain universities meaning the unit will be easily affordable.

There are some other devices that can meet all these needs currently. The iPad will have the marketing behind it to be one of the more successful ones for students.

Why the iPad Might Be Good For Students

Why an Android Tablet Is the Only Device College Students Need

College students often have to be extremely creative in terms of getting the tools they need; especially when those tools cost money. They are experts at living on a shoestring budget that gets the most out of their dollar. This is precisely why an Android tablet is an excellent choice for college students.

7 Google Android Tablet

First and foremost, college students need a computer that is affordable. With Android tablet devices starting at under 5, the affordability factor is easily taken care of here. This is the main reason more and more college students are switching to an internet tablet. Android powered devices are taking a huge part of this market. In general, when students go on campus, they have access to more powerful computers in labs. Therefore, an Android internet tablet is really all they need for at-home use. Why buy something that isn't needed?

7 Google Android Tablet

With most campuses offering free Wi-Fi throughout, an internet tablet is a viable choice to sit around the campus and get work done. No more staying cooped up in the dorm with a lonely desktop computer! Android devices effortlessly connect to public Wi-Fi spots; including the local coffee shop.

Students can also avoid expensive cell phone plans when they own an internet tablet. Android supports Skype and is a cheaper and more convenient alternative to cell phone plans. This is especially convenient for use on mini tablets that are the size of a cell phone! This provides students with the opportunity to have a phone-like device without the annoying monthly fees of a cell phone plan.

Android tablet computers also have high quality recording capabilities, which come in handy during lectures. Students now have no choice but to ace their next exam.

Perhaps the most obvious reason that college students only need an Android internet tablet is because they are super portable. Since students already have backbreaking textbooks to haul around campus, a light and portable computer is a great way to not add to the load. Now if they would switch all the textbooks to e-books, walking around campus would be effortless.

Internet tablets are truly an all-in-one wonder that is taking the college community by storm. There will be no more buying fifty different devices just to take full advantage of technology. With an Android-powered tablet, all of these functions exist in one sleek, ultra-portable device! What else could one ask for in a tablet?

Why an Android Tablet Is the Only Device College Students Need

7 Google Android Tablet

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