Nuevas estrategias para la interacción y la movilidad de niños con parálisis cerebral según un modelo convergente

Abstract

In this PhD thesis, the conceptualization, implementation and validation of novel strategies for the interaction and mobility of infants with cerebral palsy (CP) and similar disorders is presented under a converging model of technology. Initially, the design of a robotic vehicle is proposed. It aims to promote the physical and cognitive skills through mobility experiences. Despite the versatility of the vehicle, some children present severe motor limitations hindering the control of the direction console. In order to increase the accessibility of the vehicle, different driving modes are not enough. For this reason, a novel person-computer interface is proposed. It has been designed specifically to empower the user’s capabilities reducing the effect of the involuntary posture and movements. The motivation of this work is based on the fact that self-produced locomotion is essential for child’s development at the early ages. According to the state of the art of mobility devices for people with CP, most devices are more focused on mobility than the integral development. On the other hand, the human-machine interaction is a critical factor. According to the state of the art of person-computer interfaces for people with CP, there is a wide diversity of solutions. However, authors assert that the usability decreases dramatically when users have a severe motor disability. From such considerations, the following needs are identified: -To improve the learning of the physical and cognitive skills through mobility experiences as an essential way for the integral development of the child. -To characterize the control limitations caused by posture and motor disorders of these collectives. -To facilitate the interaction between the child and the assistive device by filtering the involuntary movements and postures. In this context, the main contributions of this PhD thesis are: -Proposal of a new conceptual model to formalize how assistive technology could be truly useful for people with CP. The model defines three types of assistive products: general, personal and environment. The model establishes that these products must converge to reduce the gap between the user, the assistive product and the environment. -Design and evaluation of a pre-industrial robotic vehicle as assistive device for the integral development of children with CP. -Design and evaluation of a fast model-based algorithm for ultrasonic range measurements for driving assistance. -Development of a software tool for objective evaluation of the driving task (therapy impact) and interfaces. -Design and evaluation of a novel person-computer interface based on inertial technology. -Characterization of the posture and motor disorders of people with CP using the inertial interface by means of capturing and analyzing the parameters related to these disorders and definition of metrics for quantifying them. -Design and validation of a effective filtering technique to reduce the effect of the involuntary movements on the control of the inertial device. -Functional validation of the inertial interface as pointing device for the computer on using diverse applications. -Functional validation of the inertial interface as specific input device for driving the vehicle. -Practical implementation and validation of the proposed conceptual converging model. The solutions and methods proposed in this PhD Thesis have been validated experimentally. The inclusion criterion for the participants was people who have severe limitations using conventional and even advanced interfaces. The work has been performed in the framework of the projects PALMIBER (CYTED-IBEROEKA), ENLAZA (IMSERSO) and HYPER (ConsoliderIngenio). A multidisciplinar team has participated during the different phases of the work from the study of the user’s needs to the construction and validation of the devices. The results show that meaningful functional improvements have been reached with the devices proposed. The vehicle has been validated as an effective tool to motivate the child to interact with the environment. The inertial interface has become an adequate communication channel for both the computer and the vehicle. In conclusion, the most significant contribution of this PhD. thesis has been the creation of the assistive devices (vehicle and interface) according to the model of converging Assistive Technology which aims to improve the quality of life of people with CP.