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Journal Entry 6: Memo to Summarize Research Findings

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:  Amy Herman and Richard Becker

From: Joyce Bloom

RE:  IS390 Reading & Research

DATE:  May 18, 2022

 

            The purpose of this memorandum is to summarize my source information that pertain to Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices.

 

Background

 

            AAC devices are not a one-size fits all solution for the individuals that require the assistive technology to aid with communication.  Each device needs to fit the individual’s need and could be further customized according to the individual’s ability to operate the device with the mobility that he or she is capable of.

 

Study Methods, Limitations, Brief Summary of Literature Sources

 

Except for one personal interview, I used articles and journals from the OC library’s databases.  The realm of AAC is vast and varied, so one of my limitations was shortening the list of devices to what was applicable.

 

1.      Brumberg’s article “Brain–Computer Interfaces for Augmentative and Alternative Communication: A Tutorial” is filled with so many facts and measurement results that I will most likely be using in my paper and presentations.  This article gave an overview of the different AAC devices that could be used to aid in communication.  I learned that the P300 Grid Speller is the most common type of tool used that is used for brain-computer interfaces (BCI). The P300 is a 6x6 grid that includes the letters of the alphabet, numbers, and space and backspace, which is then paired with a focus tool whether it is a pointer or tracked by eye gaze to determine selection.   

Brumberg, J. S., Pitt, K. M., Mantie-Kozlowski, A., & Burnison, J. D. (2018). Brain–Computer Interfaces for Augmentative and Alternative Communication: A Tutorial. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 27(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1044/2017_AJSLP-16-0244

2.      Karolina Kozik’s short article was where I picked out the fact that there are 70 million people around the world that communicate with sign language. The main focus of the article was to highlight how the deaf community around the world struggle to communicate with the hearing community due to lack of accessibility and accommodations. 

Kozik, K. (2019, September 23). Without Sign Language, Deaf People Are Not Equal. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/09/23/without-sign-language-deaf-people-are-not-equal

3.      McNaughton and Light’s editorial focused on the benefits and challenges of iPad and mobile technologies for the AAC users.  On the one hand the mobile technology is relatively cheap thus easily accessible.  On the other hand, sometimes there could be a mismatch between what tools are available on the technology and the user’s needs and abilities.  The more complex the communication needs are for an individual, the more technical support is required.

McNaughton, D., & Light, J. (2013). The iPad and Mobile Technology Revolution: Benefits and Challenges for Individuals who require Augmentative and Alternative Communication. AAC: Augmentative & Alternative Communication, 29(2), 107–116. https://doi.org/10.3109/07434618.2013.784930

4.      The article “Brain-Computer Interfaces in Medicine” contained several helpful diagrams that I was able to use in my paper.  This article went more in depth on the medical aspects of brai-computer interfaces.  I also found in the article the price tag associated with the non-invasive BCI, which was $5,00-10,000.  The intended audience for this article was probably for someone in the medical field, since it was heavy on the medical jargon.  This article was able to illustrate the different components of the BCI, which I hope to share in my presentation.

Shih, J. J., Krusienski, D. J., & Wolpaw, J. R. (2012). Brain-Computer Interfaces in Medicine. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 87(3), 268–279. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2011.12.008

5.      I am planning on sharing parts of a YouTube video about an P300 Speller Demo. By watching this video, all of the pieces of the BCI finally clicked.  It was interesting to see how a P300 Speller was used.  It also illustrated how slow the process is in just spelling out a simple word.  In this video it took the subject over a minute and a half to spell out “DRY EEG” using the BCI system.

Mike Chi. (2015, January 19). Cognionics Dry EEG P300 Speller Demo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIr2cRKFolY

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