Assistive Robotic Device
Description of Project
In order to assist a fifth grade child with athetioid cerebral palsy in the classroom, a robotic assistive arm device will be designed and mounted on his wheelchair. This device will be utilized to help him accomplish routine tasks in the classroom without the use of an aide.
The client is an extremely bright young man who enjoys academics. He communicates with a voice box and utilizes an electric wheelchair. He is extremely adept at using a joystick control for maneuvering his wheelchair and a similar control system will be used for the arm. Athetoid Cerebral Palsy occurs due to damage in the basal ganglia and extrapyramidal motor system. This disorder makes fine motor motions very difficult. It is a great challenge for the client to hold objects stationary or maintain posture. Despite these damages to the nervous system, patients with Cerebral Palsy often have no mental handicap; this can make life very frustrating.
The assistive robotic arm will act as a third limb for the client, translating his gross motor movements into fine motions. It is hoped that this will reduce some of the frustration in the client’s life and also give him a greater sense of independence. The discrepancies between the client’s mental and physical capacity can cause a great deal of anxiety and stress. He has difficulty typing, eating, and interacting with other students. While he has an aide who helps him in class he feels a lack of independence which affects his self esteem. The robotic assistive device will help bridge this gap between physical and mental abilities for the client. It is crucial that this device reach the client as soon as possible so that he will no longer be handicapped by his disability.
