Smartphone app gives severely disabled patients control over communication and entertainment
A simple smartphone-based system using NFC cards enabled three people with severe motor and speech disabilities to independently access music, contact loved ones, and call caregivers. The low-cost approach could reshape how healthcare providers think about accessibility technology, offering a replicable model for improving quality of life while reducing caregiver burden.
Originaltitel: A simple smartphone-aided program to support meaningful occupation in people with severe neuro-motor and speech disabilities.
We assessed a simple smartphone-aided program to help three participants with severe neuro-motor and speech disabilities access preferred songs, call or send messages to distant partners, and call the caregiver. The program relied on the use of a smartphone, five cards with identification tags, and a mini speaker. The participants could select one of the cards (engagement options) by touching it with the smartphone. Using the program, all participants managed to access songs, reach partners, and call the caregiver independently and engaged in the related forms of leisure and communication/interaction throughout the 10-min sessions available. The results suggest that the program might be a valuable aid for people with severe neuro-motor and speech disabilities.