Computer Devices for the Physically Challenged

Until a few years ago, being physically challenged was a curse that made life miserable for the individual, by making him dependent on others for basic survival. But things have changed today, thanks to significant advancements achieved in various sciences. Powered with some of the technological marvels of recent times, even physically challenged individuals have become successful in carving a niche for themselves, thus becoming independent against all odds. The world today is largely dependent on computers, therefore not being aware of the tricks of this trade is bound to make a person feel left out. This was the case with people with disabilities until computer devices for the physically challenged were introduced one by one over the last decade.

How do People with Disabilities use Computer?

Physically challenged individuals require alternative input devices in order to use the computer. These devices range from voice recognition programs to alternative computer keyboards. These computer devices for the physically challenged provide them with adaptive options, in the form of computer hardware and software, which help them in eliminating barriers of disability and using a computer. Let us have a closer look at some of these computer devices for people with disabilities.

Computer Devices for People with Disabilities
With the advent of assistive technology devices now it is possible for people with disabilities to use the various machines, including the computer. One such device is the 'Tongue Drive System', wherein a small magnet is implanted in the users tongue and the user has to move his tongue in order to move the cursor. Unlike the other parts of the body, which are controlled by brain through the spinal cord, tongue is directly connected to the brain by a cranial nerve. The cursor can also be guided by off-the-shelf trackballs and foot pedals instead of computer mouse. Pointing devices which can be controlled by movement of the eyebrows are also popular among people with disabilities. Among the other computer devices for the physically handicapped, a popular one is the virtual keyboard that can be activated with various ability switches. The ability switches use two techniques to operate the keyboard - scanning and direct selection. Some of these keyboards anticipate the words that are being typed, while some even go further to anticipate the entire phrase, thus making it convenient for people to use a computer. The most useful program is the voice recognition program, wherein the human voice is used to generate equivalent key strokes. This program is designed in such a way that it works only for one individual, whose voice is keyed to the program.

Computer Devices for the Blind
Even blind and visually impaired people have benefited from technology boom. On one hand, tactile keyboards with oversize characters help people who are visually impaired to type without difficulty, while text-to-speech technology helps them minimize the errors by knowing what is being typed. Screen readers, powered with a sound card to provide synthesized speech output of the matter displayed on the screen, is one of the best example of computer devices for the blind.

Advanced technology has made sure that the future for people with disabilities is promising. Computer devices for the physically challenged have helped them learn new skills and thus become independent. Having access to vast amount of information, including information related to various disabilities, stored on the millions of web pages is a boon in itself. In short, computer devices for people with disabilities have not just helped them to enter the mainstream, but also proved them with a bit of help, they can be as competitive as anyone of us.