A Fast Text-Based Communication System for Handicapped Aphasiacs

Abstract

In general, AAC systems are equipped with special access mechanisms, since the users lack the fine motor-control required to operate such systems with standard peripheral devices. The major problem with such AAC systems is low text typing speed. This paper presents a fast text-based communication system, enabled by finger language and supported by a virtual keyboard, to aim at efficient text entry. A handicapped aphasiac can enter text via the virtual keyboard by wearing a data glove to make proper finger gestures and use them to directly select the letters on the keyboard. The technique centers on the concept of finger language components. We have developed a finger language recognition system that could recognize static finger language components from the finger gestures of a handicapped aphasiac. We then extended the technique to continuous input of finger language components and developed a text-based communication environment for handicapped aphasiacs.