Disabled computing supplier in Surrey Area???

[CarZee]

My friend's dad has Parkinsons disease. He needs setting up with a PC/workstation.

A standard Win2k/XPHome type setup will suffice for the bedrock.

He also needs specialist help with:
- a suitable Desk/Chair.
- a big keyboard.
- a pointer other than a mouse.

Or alternative input solutions, but since he has Parkinsons, speech recognition isn't an option.

Does anyone know a company that can do this sort of thing, in the Surrey (Egham) area?

If it's a company that can supply the whole hardware/software setup then all well and good - if not I can certainly provide the basic hardware but would need advice on the special needs input equipment.

Any thoughts? Anyone else have experience of computing needs for people with this miserable ailment?

cheers then

[pdV6]

What sort of pointing device would you be looking for? I can't actually think of one that would be any easier to control than a mouse, for somebody with this condition. (Except maybe a fecking great big touchpad, but I'm not sure if anyone makes them)

[davidd]

what about a mouse with the sensitivity turned down?

What about here..

www.bigkeys.co.uk/

www.bigkeys.co.uk/bigkeys-lx.asp?keycolour=c&keycase=u&keylayout=q

Sorry if this is of no use I had a uncle with parkinsons but it was ages ago so I don't remember much about how he was affected.

D.

>> Edited by davidd on Tuesday 5th August 15:59

[CarZee]

Cheers guys..

to be honest I'm not sure what I'm looking for - I was just asked to help out with ideas/contacts etc..

I've looked at bigkeys and intellikeys - one of those might well be part of the solution we're looking for.

Not sure about the pointing solution - I'd thought the same about the mouse & I'm not sure what the impediment is there, but she says it's not ideal.

Edit: for mouse solutions, I've just found this lot.. www.tifaq.com/mice/other-devices.html#Eye%20Control%20Technologies

I'll have to get together some options for her and find out more info.

There must be a PHer with direct experience of this sort of thing. Just a matter of finding them.

>> Edited by CarZee (moderator) on Tuesday 5th August 16:05

[pdV6]

CarZee said:

Not sure about the pointing solution - I'd thought the same about the mouse & I'm not sure what the impediment is there, but she says it's not ideal.

Probably has a bit of a shaky hand - not ideal when trying to control any kind of pointing device.

Mind you, all software ought to be designed in such a way as to allow operation by keyboard only. Shame that a lot of us devlopers tend to forget this...

[Bodo]

CarZee, what are the hindrances of Parkinson? (I have no clue about that disease)
Would a touchscreen help?

Recently I had some thoughts about computer usability by physically handicapped users. Very often, the degree of disability varies (individually by user and in stages of illness), and could be accordingly adjusted by scaling the size and the behaviour of controls on the display of a touch screen.

[pdV6]

www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000755.htm#Symptoms

[Bodo]

pdV6 said:

www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000755.htm#Symptoms

Thanks pdV6

[stc_bennett]

HI Carzee been looking around and i know its probably not the same but at some disabled schools they use CRT touchscreens, for internet browsing and mouse movement.
and they have a large keyborad attached.

The keyboard i have seen is the sam layout and overall footprint on a normal keyboard but has no F* keys and no number key pad. Every key is about 1" x 1" if thats any use

Steve

[CarZee]

Yep - cheers guys - I'll get more info today about it. I think the BigKeys keyboard is going to be the way to go.

Still far from sure about the pointing device, but a touchscreen could well be the way forward. It depends. I think probably he'll have trouble with whatever method, as his state of deterioration is reasonably advanced. Poor old bugger

Oh well.. I'll have a bit of a think and see what we come up with. In the meantime, if anyone should stumble across a co. that does this sort of kit, let me know..

thanks all.

[Psychobert]

Zee - Did a bit of work in this sort of area a few years ago, but handed everything over to the company when the job finished. Will make a couple of calls see if I can dig anyone out.

[jeremyc]

www.parkinsons.org.uk has some good information.

Specifically I found a document relating to the use of computers and the internet.

Might be worth a rummage around.