AsTeRICS Academy for Cross-Cultural Education in Assistive Technology

AsTeRICS Academy - Factsheet

Development and Internationalisation in Assistive Technology

– Open Source, affordable AT-tools

– Contacts to end users / caretakers

– Involvement of students / academic partners

Educational Strategies

– Workshops (different target groups)

– Integration of AT-topics into FHTW teaching

– Summer School & Ph.D. - cooperations

Funding partner: City of Vienna (MA23)

– Call 14: „Internationalisation“

– Project duration: 3 Years: 2013-2016

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Assistive Tool Development: FABI

• Extremely Low Cost (ca. 10 – 15 €)

• HID emulation: mouse/keyboard actions, triggered with switches

• Arduino-compatible microcontroller, laser-cut or standard enclosure

• configuration via GUI:

Flexible Assistive Button Interface

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Tool Development: “FLipMouse”

• „Finger- and Lip- Mouse“ - low force, zero way joystick

• Flexible configuration of sensitivity, sip-/puff functions, ….

• Usable with PC or Android without drivers

• Connection of two external switches

• 5 slots for different settings

• Arduino-compatible

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Tool Development: AsTeRICS framework

• 3-year FP-7 EU project with 8 partner institutions, ca. 3M€

• Create assistive solutions using a graphical designer

• OSGi Middleware, Java / C++ plugin system

• More than 160 functional plugins to enable

• Computer Vision

• Eyetracking (Tobii EyeX …)

• Bioelectric Interfaces

• Augmented Communication

• Accessible Gaming

• Linux support (Raspberry Pi)

• Environmental control

(EnOcean, KNX, FS20, …)

• and much more …

Assistive Technology Rapid Integration & Construction Set

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AsTeRICS Workshop

• Target Group: Students, Academic Institutions, Skilled Caretakers

• AsTeRICS model building and application

• AsTeRICS plugin development (where applicable)

© 2014/15 UAS Technikum Wien

• Technical University Prague, 2014

• National University for Science & Technology Bulawayo (Zimbabwe), 2015

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End User Workshop

• Target Group: Caretakers and End User Organisations or Individuals

• Flip and FABI, various assistive software appliactions

• Face / Eyetracking, On-Screen Keyboards, Environmental Control

• Accessible Gaming, Augmented Communication

• Jairos Jiri Vocational Training Centre, Bulawayo (Zimbabwe), 2015

• King George IV School, Bulawayo (Zimbabwe), 2015

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Summer School 2015

• 30 Students from 14 different countries

• Topics / Thematic Sessions:

• Web Accessibility

• Augmentative & Alternative Communication

• Bioelectric Signals and Signal Processing

• DIY Assistive Solutions in Minutes

• Hands On Projects in small groups

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UNIKATE Project for Harry H.

• 35 years, muscular dystrophy

• Movement of lips possible

• Enabled: computer access,

environmental control

playing a musical instrument

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Live Concert „AsTeRICS and the Toilers of Tune“ (Jazz Band)

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Cooperation with MDF Nepal

• Supports ~500 patients with muscular dystrophy around Nepal

• Extremely low income – affordable solutions needed !

• 40 – 50 people identified who could benefit from our low-cost tools

• Cooperation paused because of earthquake …. now resumed !

Muscular Dystrophy Foundation Nepal (MDF)

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Outook

• Summer School 2016: takes place July 11th – 20th

• APPEAR Academic Partnership (ADA / OeAD / EZA)

Meru University for Science and Technology / Kenya

University of Zimbabwe

• Cooperation with 4 Students of “Die Graphische”

FLipmouse boxing design

Construction Manual

Homepage / Forum

• FLipmouse Construction Kit

Offer kits via Technikum Wien Solutions

Build kits in course of lectures (embedded HW/SW design)

For more information / contact please visit: http://www.asterics-academy.net

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THANK YOU! www.technikum-wien.at