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A master's thesis from Aalborg University
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HAMAC: Home Assistive and Mobile Access Controller

Authors

;

Term

10. Term

Publication year

2010

Abstract

Forbrugerelektronik bruger i stigende grad standardprotokoller til at tale sammen, så én enhed kan styre mange andre. Det er særligt værdifuldt for personer med tetraplegi, som kan opnå større uafhængighed ved at kunne betjene hverdagsteknologi. Mange eksisterende løsninger til denne gruppe har dog begrænsede funktioner og er ikke særligt diskrete eller æstetisk tiltalende. TKS har udviklet en intra-oral, tunge-styret enhed (båret i munden), som fungerer som en hardwarebro mellem brugeren og elektroniske enheder, men den kunne i første omgang kun styre en computer. Dette projekt udvider TKS’s system, så det virker med standardprotokoller for forbindelse, kan opdage tjenester på andre enheder og få adgang til dem. Vi tilføjer også en visuel brugergrænseflade og undersøger, hvordan enheder præsenteres bedst for brugeren. På niende semester byggede vi et proof-of-concept med høj interoperabilitet: tunge-kontrolleren kan betjene Bluetooth-aktiverede computere og Zigbee-aktiverede lamper. Prototypen modtog en pris fra den franske forening Hanploi i marts 2010. I anden fase forbedrede vi prototypen inden for tre områder: energiforbrug, sikkerhed og funktionssikkerhed. Ved at integrere et strømstyringssystem i HAMAC-frameworket gjorde vi HAMAC-platformen ca. 2,5 gange mere energieffektiv og reducerede radiochipsenes energiforbrug med op til otte gange. Vi tilføjede også kryptering af trådløse data og adresserede sikkerheden for specifikke plug-ins, herunder et modul til at styre en motoriseret kørestol.

Consumer electronics increasingly use standard protocols to communicate, allowing one device to control many others. This is especially valuable for people with quadriplegia, who can gain independence by operating everyday technology. Yet many existing interfaces for this group have limited functions and are not very discreet or appealing. TKS has developed an intra-oral, tongue-controlled device (worn in the mouth) that serves as a hardware bridge between the user and electronic devices, but at first it could control only a computer. This project extends TKS’s system to work with standard connectivity protocols, enabling it to discover services on other devices and access them. We also add a visual user interface and study how to present available devices clearly. In the ninth semester, we built a proof of concept demonstrating high interoperability: the tongue controller can operate Bluetooth-enabled computers and Zigbee-enabled lights. This prototype received an award from the French association Hanploi in March 2010. In the second phase, we improved the prototype in three areas: energy use, security, and safety. By integrating a Power Management System into the HAMAC framework, we made the HAMAC platform about 2.5 times more energy-efficient and reduced radio-chip energy use by up to eight times. We also added over-the-air data encryption and addressed the functional safety of specific plug-ins, including a module for controlling a motorized wheelchair.

[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]