Re: Geezer Tracker

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Dave Houston" <nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

> I'd look at voice activation/control for the cell phone - it would be much
> simpler. If you could (or could not) reach him via the cell phone, you
could
> decide whether or not an alert is appropriate.

Interestingly enough, the one time where he got into real trouble he had
lost his voice because some of his meds make his mouth dry and he went out
without his water bottle.  He called us, but we couldn't understand him.
That was REAL panic!  That event sort of triggered all this interest in
elder-tracking.  If the laws of physics were mutable, I'd like a big panel
to appear before him when he hit a "panic" button with big buttons next to
choices like "I'm lost"  or "I'm sick"  or  "Where are you?"  or "Sound
siren"  or "Dial whomever."  Since molecular manipulation won't occur for a
few more decades, I need something as close to the big "panic panel" that I
have described now.

> Google on "GPS people tracker" and you'll find a lot of options, many of
> which are not terribly costly. This is a common need. Checking with
various
> support groups might give you up to date info on what's available.

Thanks.  That's a good idea.  I'm looking for something that's inexpensive
because Dad's a Depression-era child and he's likely to have a stroke if I
spent nearly $3,000 on a voice-operated phone.

> GPS tracking, whether by cell phone or a separate GPS device, is in
> widespread use and there are companies that provide such service.

I wasn't aware of that, either.

> >> >Part of the problems if that I can't really use anything COTS
vis-a-vis
> >> >keyboards or readouts.  He has trouble reading LCD's and fingering
small
> >> >buttons, which has sent me on a search for large button phones,
remotes
> >and
> >> >DVD players.  I have a cheap but very rugged OFA remote with huge,
> >form-cut
> >> >buttons that he can manage with for now.  The problem is that I can
see a
> >> >time when even that level of manipulation will be difficult for him.
I'm
> >> >not sure where to go from there.  I know about devices like Sip-N-Puff
> >and
> >> >other head motion controllers, but there's got to be something for
people
> >> >who are not completely paralyzed.
> >>
> >> Assisted Living suppliers have very large buttons. Of course, the
larger
> >the
> >> buttons, the fewer functions in any given space. There are proximity
> >sensors
> >> and field sensors that can create keypads on doors, glass, almost
> >anything.
> >> Some have been discussed here. Circuit Cellar magazine has also had
some
> >> articles on them.
> >
> >Part of the problem is that as soon as something's considered a medical
> >device, its cost at least triples.  I bought him a very nice child's CD
> >player for Christmas that he can handle quite easily because it has
enormous
> >color-coded controls.  My idea was to give him the ability to scroll
through
> >a large font on-screen list of choices using the right hand to advance
and
> >the left hand to select.  He can still mash things down with his fist
pretty
> >well.  :-)  I suspect it will be fairly easy to wire in large "mash"
buttons
> >to an existing mouse and use one of the very small PC's to drive it all.
> >I'll have to give it all some thought because the problem he has now is
over
> >and underclicking.  He clicks either too early or too late and gets
> >frustrated because he has to then back out of wherever he went
accidentally.
>
> I would seriously consider voice control although I would steer clear of
HAL
> and others like it - they're more toy than tool. Quadriplegics and others
> who _must_ depend on voice control almost universally recommend HomeVoice.
>
>
http://www.appliedfuture.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.100.exe/scstore/sitepages/inde
x.html?E+scstore

I'll take a look at that.  As I said, though, most of these systems are for
total paraplegics.  It's far more likely he'll be unable to speak clearly
than he would become unable to mash down on big buttons, virtual or
otherwise.  Someone at work suggested going the ET route and adapting a
"Speak n' Spell" or something like it as an interface a person with weak
precision motor skills could use.   The scooter tiller might be a good place
to mount it.  Then, the details would be in interfacing that control panel
with a cellphone.  That could be gruesome.


> The implants are still in the lab stage but have been proven. There are
> other, less intrusive, bio-feedback devices. They do require training and
> only offer rudimentary control but they are enough to replace a mouse.

If you knew my dad and his distrust of all things medical, you would know
that he would be among the very last people in the world who would have
electrodes stuck into his noodle.  :-)

> It's almost always possible to devise something. More than 40 years ago I
> worked for the Seeburg (juke boxes, pinball, vending machines, etc.)
> distributor in San Franscisco. (I installed and serviced commercial sound
> systems.) The guys in the shop that repaired the juke boxes and other coin
> operated machines turned a pinball machine into a typewriter for a kid
with
> cerebral palsy. It rotated through the alphabet and he pushed a button to
> "type" the currently highlighted letter on a teletype machine. The concept
> lives on in computer programs for the handicapped today.

Yes!  This is probably what's going to end up being practical.  Right and
left armrest buttons with something like one of those rolling LED store
signs mounted on the tiller.  The left button scrolls, the right button
changes context and both buttons hit simultaneously executes the action in
the LED message window.

> If you really want to do this right, look into "wearable" computing. You
> could give him a heads up display and voice control. Your dad might end up
> on "Beauty and the Geek".

I thought of putting him in a fighter pilot helmet but he would need one of
the HAN devices racers use to keep his head from leaning over from the
weight.   That idea came about because he somehow nearly managed to flip the
powerchair out in the backyard.  I thought of adding an electronic tilt
indicator, but I think it wouldn't serve any useful purpose in preventing a
tip.  It might be useful as a remote telemetry flag, though.

--
Bobby G.