Bed Access Reading Bot (B.A.R.B.): The Future of the Book

Bed Access Reading Bot (B.A.R.B.) Proposal: Eye-Tracking Reading Device for the Physically Handicapped

My aunt, Barbara, suffers from Lou Gehrig’s disease—also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Due to this disease she has lost all motor function, meaning she is quadriplegic. Basic functions that many of us take for granted—such as: showering oneself, wiping one’s eyes, scratching one’s arm, and even talking—are not available to some people with ALS. For the most part, many of the bigger problems quadriplegics face have been circumvented. My aunt’s nurse-assistant, for example, bathes her, flips through the channels for her, feeds her, etc. As far as communicating, there are two main options for my aunt: alphabet boards and Augmentative/Alternative communication devices (AAC). These advancements solve many problems, but there are still many that need to be addressed.

Research shows that patients that suffer from ALS are also at risk of suffering from depression:

Patients reported high communicative abilities, comparable to caregivers, while their supposition without the ETCS was significantly worse. (K. Linse, 259)

Lack of a social life and inability to participate in leisurely activities are the main causes of this depression in ALS-sufferers. Because of the physical aspect of ALS, it is easy to overlook the psychological impact. It took me, for instance, several visits to see my aunt Barbara before thinking: “How does she have fun?” and “How does she cope with not being able to do the things she used to do?” My aunt has always been an intelligent person; so seeing her not being able to put her mind to use is saddening for me.

B.A.R.B. is here to give back fun and some sense of autonomy to people like my aunt. Essentially, B.A.R.B. is an E-Reader that functions similarly to AAC devices that utilize eye-tracking technology. The purpose of B.A.R.B. is to allow quadriplegics to read without needing any assistance. Having watched my aunt and her nurse-assistant, I can say there are a lot of nuances that even nurse-assistants cannot solve easily. Think about everything it takes for you to read a book. As an able-bodied person you can stop reading when you want; you can dog-ear pages; you can take notes; you can reread pages, etc. Could you imagine doing these things without being able to move? Could you imagine how difficult it would be to tell your nurse to do these tasks for you if you are unable to talk? It would be impossible.

With B.A.R.B., healthcare providers and hospitals will be able to improve the mental wellbeing of their quadriplegic patients. Rather than just having TV to watch, patients will be able to entertain themselves and feed their minds with books of their choice. Healthcare providers and hospitals that implement B.A.R.B. early on will be attractive to customers and patients who have not been able to find such thoughtful and personalized technology elsewhere. Eventually, the goal is for healthcare providers and hospitals nationwide to take advantage of what B.A.R.B. has to offer. Being as though this technology eases the burden of nurse-assistants and gives patients autonomy, it is inevitable that B.A.R.B. will be everywhere.

As I stated earlier, B.A.R.B. is the synthesis of two already established technologies: the E-reader and AAC eye-tracking devices. E-readers were a temporary craze, yet they were fundamentally ahead of their time. The reason, I believe, E-readers lost their popularity was due to misreading the market. Avid readers, for the most part, have a hard time parting with their beloved books—the smell of them, the page turning, etc. Therefore, it was easy for traditional books to reclaim their throne from E-readers. But the E-reader’s features have potential to be the ideal product for the quadriplegic user once merged with hands-off and easy-to-use eye-tracking technology. Virtually all the E-reader’s features—such as: page turning, book marking, highlighting, note making, and word searching—will be in tact, yet rather than being accessible by touch, these features will be accessible through eye-movement.

After the initial installation of B.A.R.B. the user will go through a set-up process (choose language, font size, etc.) that will get them accustomed to the eye-gaze technology. The most crucial component of B.A.R.B. is the eye-reading camera that is mounted on top of the monitor. This camera reads eye movement and translates it into an action. Once the user is prompted by something on the screen they will have the option to stare at it—which the camera reads—until an hourglass icon turns over; once the hourglass is completely overturned the option is chosen. An example of this would be if the user were prompted with a “Yes” or “No” question. If the user wants to choose “Yes”, he/she will stare at the “Yes” option for 5 seconds (length of time for hourglass to turn).

Similarly, any action the user wants to take will be decided by a 5-second stare. The user will be able to access the menu option on the side of the screen this way as well. The menu will allow the user to choose/search another book or log out. Also on the side of the screen there will be an icon called “toolbox”, which will allow the user to make the actions listed earlier (highlight, word search, etc.). Neither the menu option nor the “toolbox” icons will obstruct the reading screen until they are chosen. Aside from the text itself the only icons that will stand out are the arrow buttons on either side of the text. These arrow buttons—which also function off the 5-second stare period (number of seconds can be changed)—allow the user to go forward or backward in the book.

Watch “Eyegaze communication in action”

B.A.R.B. will be available for healthcare providers, hospitals, and the loved ones of the user. Being as though our bigger markets will be the healthcare providers and hospitals, I have designed marketing campaigns specifically for them. For the healthcare campaign there will be a nationwide tour in which B.A.R.B. will visit research labs. These research lab events showcase the newest and most beneficial advancements in healthcare. The first reveal will be held at the Applied Physics Lab in Laurel, MD. Over the year, B.A.R.B. will attend several of these events, as labs are located in every state. At these events, healthcare representatives will be given a chance to test out B.A.R.B. They may find that despite being able-bodied, they might want B.A.R.B. for themselves! Near the end of the year, B.A.R.B. will be taken to the Healthcare Design expo in Orlando, FL. This annual event is the one I am most excited for, as it is the big daddy of all healthcare expos. Researchers, educators, nurses, and medical planners are among the many influencers who will get to experience B.A.R.B.

B.A.R.B.’s campaign to get into hospitals may prove a little more difficult as hospitals—like classrooms—do not seem to change much over time. However, I am confident that hospitals associated with higher education, such as Johns Hopkins University, will be more open to cutting-edge technology since they are tasked with preparing the world’s future doctors. Introducing B.A.R.B. to university-linked hospitals will be the first step in getting into every hospital into America, and hopefully the world.

So what’s the future of B.A.R.B.? I think text was the most logical start. After all, that technology already exists (E-readers) and simply had to be merged with eye-gaze technology in order to come alive. The next logical step is to introduce visuals—as in television and movies—which can run smoothly alongside the menu and tool features.

Works Cited

“About The Show.” hcdexpo. N.p., 2017. Web.

Beukelman, David R., and Pat Mirenda. Augmentative and Alternative Communication : Supporting Children and Adults with Complex Communication Needs, Fourth Edition. Fourth Edition. Brookes Publishing, 2013. Web.

Linse, K. et al. “EP 47. Direct Assessment of Psychosocial Measures Using Eye Tracking Technology in Advanced ALS – Can Preserved Autonomy and Psychological Wellbeing Modify Disease Course?” Clinical Neurophysiology 127.9 (2016): 258–259. Web.

ReviewLamp.com. All-New Kindle E-Reader Review – 8th Generation – 2016 Model. N.p., 2016. Film.

The PACE Centre. Eyegaze Communication in Action. N.p., 2009. Film.

“Welcome to AACFUNDINGHELP.COM.” SGD Funding Solutions from Assistive Technology Law Center. N.p., Nov. 2006. Web.

HoloBook Final Project

Purpose:

Any book lover knows the movie never comes close to the magic of the book and while TV versions come closer, they still can’t compare. Why settle for watered down, inaccurate replications when we can have the fully realized version in the palm of our hands? Introducing HoloBook, the holographic reader that renders 3D visuals using the Kindle. The HoloBook combines the technology of audiobooks with holograms to create a movie right on the pages of your novel.

When the typical book lover is asked why they enjoy reading, usually the answer is they want an escape. They want to live in worlds where anything is possible and you can be anything. Books have an amazing immersive quality and the best reading experience is when you completely forget that there are even words on the page and all you can see are the descriptions and hear the dialogue. The HoloBook will allow readers to experience this on demand.

Audience:

With the growing young adult genre, there are now more books targeted to young people today than ever before. As there are so many YA novels out there, we as readers know that only a small, select handful of the most popular books and series will be turned into the movies and TV shows. This would give the HoloBook the largest pool to draw from and have the most new material create from.

The YA genre targets people fourteen years old and up (Williams) and differs from a ‘teen’ novel in the way that it is more likely to deal with topics of “sex, tackle challenging issues and adult relationships, and feature swearing” (Williams). The YA genre appeals to a wide range of people with its numerous subgenres and appeals to more than just teens. Some research shows that YA novels are bought more frequently by adults than teen in some cases (Williams). YA has a more fluid audience than most genres, giving us the largest customer base.

Specifications:

The product will be an add-on available for purchase on new Kindles and uses the reader technology to process the words on the page to create the images projected from micro-projectors under the surface of the glass. The images will be full color and the story will be read out via a small speaker in the bottom corner or through headphones, volume adjuster is located near the speaker. When not in projecting mode the HoloBook can be used like a tablet to access the social book site, GoodReads, allowing the user to easily update their progress and find discussion boards for the book.

The HoloBook will use a micro-USB charger that will plug in near the speaker. The battery will be lithium ion and made to hold about a three to four hour charge with adjustable settings to increase and decrease brightness and quality of the images. The brightness of the holograms will be easiest to view in indoor lighting and best in dark rooms. The battery is made to hold the three to four hour charge at max settings.

This will have to work with new books coming out and will be created by a graphic designer (or author with design experience) who will work closely along side the author to create their vision. The HoloBook’s detail will be determined by the author and the artist, clearly the more detailed, movie like versions will take longer amounts of time and possibly more than one artist. They will be released after the original book has been released just like a movie would be.

It will be sold like Whispersync where the audio version will be purchasable in combination with the visuals. With Whispersync, the eBook version and the audio version are sold together for only a dollar or two more than buying just the eBook alone. Looking at the average price of Audible books, without a membership, being between fourteen dollars and thirty-nine dollars (Audible.com), adding the visuals would probably increase the price of the typical audiobook to forty to fifty dollars. The narration will be done professionally for the highest quality story reading. Currently, there are two different ways to listen to eBooks with Kindle. The first is Audible which is done professionally, the second is text-to-speech technology which is a experimental feature of Kindles that uses a “remarkably human sounding for a computer-generated voice” (“Let Your Kinde”) to read the text out in a monotone voice.

A possible addition to make the HoloBook easier to use is gesture technology. The current technology for gesture tech for a product like this is in existence. It is called GestTrack3D, which “lets you control interactive displays and digital signs from a distance with hand and full body gestures” (“3D Depth Sensing”) which acts like Kinect technology and only differs in that the distance from the screen does not matter. The gesture tech would make it so the book could be paused, played, fast forwarded, rewound, and highlighted to go back later on the eBook version. As the technology for the HoloBooks because more advanced it may even allow for interaction with the characters and the setting.

Advertising:

The HoloBook will be marketed to people between the ages of 16-25 using advertisements targeted to social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, and GoodReads, and commercials for YouTube. The HoloBook will be advertised to appeal to book lovers and to movie lovers alike.

The ads will be similar to those of movies and be put especially on YouTube where teens spend hours upon hours of watching of video content and will be most likely to see it. GoodReads advertises the newest books along the sides and on banners, usually they are stills but some are videos. GoodReads would probably where the advertisements would first appear because it is a site intended for book lovers who would most appreciate this. Since the book will be movie-like, playing previews for the HoloBook before movies in theaters. The commercials would be about the same length of a movie preview and contain about the same amount of “teaser”.

The HoloBook will change the way people read books. It creates a new, visual way to enjoy our favorite stories, to see the magic and mystery up close and personal unlike anything we see on the market today. Currently there is nothing on the market like HoloBook as it combines the best features of movies and audiobooks to bring a more immersive experience to the reader. The immersion aspect of this product is possibly it’s most important. People use books as an escape from reality, the more immersive the technology the better. Book lovers will no longer have to struggle with interpreting and envisioning what an author is trying to get use to see. And unlike movie versions, the author doesn’t have to compromise their work to make it more suited to the silver screen.

Prototype

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y60mfBvXCj8 (Projection Video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGiwROBW5fM (Explanation of Different types of holograms we have currently)

Work Cited:

Chauncey Frend. Imagination Forge: Holographic Display Technology (S1E1). N.p. Film.

“How to Download a FREE Whispersync for Voice Each Month with Amazon Prime | Lia Belle.” liabelle.me. N.p., 5 Sept. 2014. Web. 6 May 2017.

“Let Your Kindle Read to You with Text-to-Speech.” dummies. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 May 2017.

VirusKiste. Hologram Project by Kiste. N.p. Film.

Williams, Imogen Russell. “What Are YA Books? And Who Is Reading Them?” The Guardian 31 July 2014. Web. 6 May 2017.

The Future Book for the Future Einstein: The Final Proposal

Shanice Hastings

Dr. Licastro

English 381. Sec 01

5 May 2017

The Future Book for the Future Einstein: A Proposal

In researching the many different techniques and learning styles for children with autism, it is clear that there is currently no one universal form of treatment. According to Prizant in The SCERTS MODEL, the goal is to provide an approach that enhances socioemotional abilities, communication skills, and transactional support to both children on the autism spectrum, and their families (296). This model, like many before it, is an attempt to combine “child-centered” and “parent-centered” practices, while using an ABA approach as a base or foundation (ABA is a behavioral learning approach with A1 as baseline, B as treatment, and A2 as the extinction phase). Due to the inconstancy in technology and literature, I am proposing a tool in the form of a virtual reality book/ software. The purpose of the book is to help children with autism transition into treatment and new social environments. All while promoting growth and positive adaptive behaviors.

In the Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, Schreibman describes the challenges children with autism face when transitioning into a new environment, or when learning a new activity (3). Although the transition phase may be scaring and overwhelming, it is important and inevitable in treatment. It is likely to see behaviors worsen during this phase. The child may become more aggressive, or engage in new behaviors such as self injury (SIB) (Schreibman, 3). Studies have shown positive implications of instructional video models as a learning tool to assists with basic living skills (Shipley-Benamou, 166). However, a program that assists with treatment, academics, and transitioning phases, all in one, does not exist at the current time.

The program will simulate a learning environment through a virtual reality children’s book. The book will encompass academic and skill set education, in addition to transitional treatment and assistance. The program will also monitor progress. The virtual reality book will consist of story lines and adjustable settings within the program that can be accessed by the therapist. Instead of illustrations on a page, the child is actually in the book, interacting with characters and objects. For example, the prototype I created is called, “My First Trip to the Grocery Store.” There will be two versions of the story. The beginner version is a simple cartoon simulation of a grocery store, and the advanced version is a 3D simulation of the same thing. Depending on the child’s level of interaction he/ she will be allowed to create his/ her own avatar, or character in the book. Another great feature of this program is that it will allow for multi-players. This way, the parent has the opportunity to interact with the child. As stated in the introduction, combining child and family-centered therapy has been a challenge in the approach and sustainability of treatment (Prizant, 296). Therefore, it is imperative to include the parent and family in the virtual reality experience. The family will acquire the tools needed to learn how to respond to behaviors, how to implement directives and treatment in absence of a therapist, as well as when to give positive reinforcements. For this reason, the directives given to the parent player will be different from directives given to the child player. For instance, in the setting of a grocery store the child can be directed to find the apples. If the child is having trouble finding the apples, the parent will be directed to offer assistance. The parent will be told what to say, by the program or the therapist, who will act as an observer. The main idea is for the parent will to interact with their child, learn what works opposed to what does not work, and practice them in a safe environment. As a result, both child and parent will feel confident in natural settings because they both have conquered the challenge of being in a new environment.

In conceptualizing the mechanics of the program, there are multiple challenges to be address. To assess whether or not the child is paying attention to directives we will incorporate an eye tracking device on the inner lens of the VR goggles. This device will track where the child is looking and when, at all times. The lens will connect to the main board of the program in order to send a signal that says the child is looking in the correct direction, or not. Then, the program will know to show arrow marks to catch the child’s attention, or highlight the mom character for help. The child will be directed to explore items by using his/ her hands to tap, or motion over them. This brings me to another feature of the VR goggles. If the child is to interact with the story through touch and motion, I would create Bluetooth signaled devices that will be attach to the finger tips. Another challenge will be controlling auditory stimuli. It is common for children on the autism spectrum to struggle with sensory overload (American Psychiatric Association). To prevent this issue, the goggles will need specific and specially made earphones that will block outside noise. The sound in the program will be adjustable by the therapist. Sensory stimuli will be introduced when the child is ready and as the therapist sees fit. For the purposes of this specific prototype, the setting will not include any additional auditory stimuli besides a monotone voice, giving directions. The idea is to perfect a prototype by testing and troubleshooting issues that may arise in the creation process. The main goal is to have a program flexible enough to customize to each individual child, and where they currently are in their learning and coping process. I would like for this device to be usable for children across the spectrum, including those with severe behaviors. The goggles will be durable enough to withstand any possible physical damage, yet light weight enough to manipulate for a child who may wear protective gear.

If you imagine what such book would look like, I would describe the concept of program one as a cartoon simulation (beginners), and program two, more life-like (advanced). The beginners program will start with a series of levels from 0-10. The child will move up in levels by following directions and earning stars, points, or coins. The goggles will detect movement and differentiate between positive behavior and negative behavior such as aggressions and self injury. For example, James is a beginner. James engages in moderate to severe SIB. One of his SIBs is skin picking. With the connection between the VR goggles and the Bluetooth fingertip reader, the program will detect whenever James picks at any part of the body and deduct a point or coin. James may earn points by correctly answering questions, or not engaging in SIB for a period of time. Of course, the therapist will be able to manipulate this feature from their end. Although, the therapist is a player only to observe, he/ she will also adjust settings to custom fit the child and his/ her needs. The program will collect and save data for each trial. This feature allows the therapist to compare his/ her observations to the data collected by the program. Since this program is intended to be an effective learning tool, it may be used for any particular thing the child is struggling with. It is not meant to be forced upon the child to use, but slowly introduced. This may mean having the child see it, then take it away. Then, have the child feel it for a moment then take it away. Next, have the child wear it for a few minutes at a time and take it away. This, too, is a new experience itself and should be introduced in moderation. Studies have shown positive feedback in social communication when visual stimuli was used in treatment of children with autism. Thiemann and Goldstein found that 10 minutes of social interaction and 10 minutes of self evaluation using video feedback increased desired social behaviors and communicative skills (426).

This new technology is intended to give children with autism an alternative way to learn. This non-traditional approach is necessary when accommodating children with a different set of needs. In coping with their disorder, I hope this program will help children take what they have learned and apply it to real life scenarios, while decreasing problem behaviors and increasing pro social skills. Although the original program is geared toward children with autism, it is not limited to one disorder. Eventually, there will be a variety of different stories written by the best authors of children’s books. I hope that this book will give children and their families a sense of hope for the future, and unlock the genius potential behind the unrecognized Einstein.

Work Cited

American Psychiatric Association, and American Psychiatric Association. “DSM-5 Task Force.(2013).” Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5™. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Prizant, Barry M., et al. “The SCERTS Model: A transactional, family‐centered approach to enhancing communication and socioemotional abilities of children with autism spectrum disorder.” Infants & Young Children 16.4 (2003): 296-316.

Schreibman, Laura, Christina Whalen, and Aubyn C. Stahmer. “The use of video priming to reduce disruptive transition behavior in children with autism.”Journal of positive behavior interventions 2.1 (2000): 3-11.

Shipley-Benamou, Robin, John R. Lutzker, and Mitchell Taubman. “Teaching daily living skills to children with autism through instructional video modeling.”Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions 4.3 (2002): 166-177.

Thiemann, Kathy S., and Howard Goldstein. “Social stories, written text cues, and video feedback: Effects on social communication of children with autism.” Journal of applied behavior analysis 34.4 (2001): 425-446.