A customized mobile application for a cerebral palsy user

Abstract

Mobile web has created several opportunities for the development of assistive technologies that can support disabled people in the performance of daily life activities. Mobile applications can be developed using participatory design methods which result in customized assistive solutions. In this paper, we describe the development of a mobile application to support M, a man with cerebral palsy in his communication and professional activities, highlighting the use of a participatory design method. We discuss the changes that mobile web can bring to disabled people´s lives, in the light of this experience. We conclude that mobile web applications can be configured as interesting solutions for assistive technologies.

The life cycle of a customized communication device for a child with cerebral palsy: contributions toward the PD4CAT method

“…Besides, the literature review presenting herein other researches involving people with disabilities in the design process, which guided the development of PD4CAT, can be found in our papers presented in [1][2][3]13].…”

“…Each phase of PD4CAT presents specific requirements that lead to the method's main goal. Those phases were proposed after a preliminary ethnographic study [3], where our team of computing science researchers observed the context of a rehabilitation institution for 6 months. We observed many therapeutic sessions involving therapists, patients, and caregivers.…”

“…This first version was used to develop an AAC solution for a user with disabilities, with a first devteam. By doing so, improvements were introduced in the second version of PD4CAT method [3].…”

“…In a second cycle, guidelines for PD4CAT were achieved by an action research with M (a cerebral palsy adult), aiming the development of his customized web mobile application [3].…”

“…; (2) considering that the target user is in her early childhood and for this reason does not have a clear judgment of what she can expect from a technological device, how to design to ensure the child's independence and autonomy? ; and (3) how to take into account requirements proposed by the therapists for the child's cognitive development and language acquisition? Answers to these questions are incorporated as guidelines for PD4CAT.…”