----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Meijer" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, March 30, 2002 5:54 AM
Subject: [The vOICe] Backpack PC helps disabled children
Hi All,
For your information, concerning wearable computers. The subject
line is the title of an article that appeared last Wednesday in
BBC News Online, the Sci/Tech section. The article is appended.
Indeed you get much more performance for much less money when
opting for a regular notebook or subnotebook PC in a backpack.
Best wishes,
Peter Meijer
Seeing with Sound - The vOICe
http://www.seeingwithsound.com/winvoice.htm
Wednesday, 27 March, 2002.
Backpack PC helps disabled children. By Alfred Hermida. BBC News Online.
A specially designed wearable computer is giving a voice to children
with
learning disabilities.
The computer, built by the Xybernaut company, has been tested at several
schools in the US with promising results.
"Its portability and flexibility allowed Jeremy to communicate and
access
the curriculum across all school environments with increasing success,"
said Lisa Zverloff, a teacher at Ohio Coventry Local School District, of
one of the children using the computer.
Xybernaut is preparing to market its Xyberkids wearable computer to
schools
across the US.
PC in a backpack.
The idea behind the product was to produce something that the children
could
carry with them to school and use in everyday life.
So the computer comes in a backpack that includes a rugged flat-panel
display,
portable speakers and a small processing unit.
"In the US there are six million children with disabilities," said one
of the
project managers, Richard Walfish.
"We're not going to cure anybody but we're going to help the children,"
he
told the BBC programme Go Digital.
Mr Walfish demonstrated how it could be used for something as simple as
placing
an order at a fast food restaurant, by pressing icons on the
touch-screen.
"For you and me, it is a very simple thing to go and order at McDonalds
but for
a person that has no ability to speak or limited ability to speak, this
for
them is a godsend and they can take it wherever they want to go," he
said.
Improved behaviour.
The teachers testing the Xyberkids computer kit have found it a valuable
tool
that allows children with learning disabilities to communicate and take
part
in classroom activities.
They found that the hostile behaviour of some of the children
disappeared once
they could express themselves through the touch-screen and speakers.
It also helped other pupils accept the children suffering from autism,
cerebral
palsy or physical disabilities. But the wearable computer comes with a
big price
tag attached.
The package starts at $4,995 for all the hardware and educational
software. But
Xybernaut is working with schools to apply for grants to pay for the
computer.
"We don't expect the parents to come up with the money," said Mr
Walfish.
"But there are funds available from federal, state, local and private
organisations
and we are working with a company that is providing the ability to get
the grants."
Source URL:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1893000/1893074.stm
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