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Motivation Roughly 2% of pre-school and school-aged children in the United States are mentally handicapped and also suffer from visual deficiencies (McNeil, 2001) 4% of non-handicapped pre-school aged children also exhibit deficiencies in their visual tracking skills (Nelson & Dimitrova, 1993)
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Toy for Disabled ChildTheresa Carr
Adrienne DulaAdvisor: Ms. Reesi Davis
Biomedical Engineering Design 273
April 18, 2002
Abstract An educational toy targeting disabled and preschool-
aged children was designed and fabricated . This toy was intended to be entertaining for the child while improving their visual tracking skills (eye pursuit movements). The visual tracking skills of the child were tested before and after exposure to the device using the Insight 2 InColor software. The results of these tests indicated the potential of the toy to improved the visual tracking skills of the subject.
Motivation
Roughly 2% of pre-school and school-aged children in the United States are mentally handicapped and also suffer from visual deficiencies
(McNeil, 2001)
4% of non-handicapped pre-school aged children also exhibit deficiencies in their visual tracking skills
(Nelson & Dimitrova, 1993)
GoalTo design and fabricate a toy which (is): Safe Keeps child entertained (fun) Improves visual tracking skills Durable Utilizes other skills (fine motor
skills/reasoning) Affordable
Problem Formulation
Schematic of Proposed Toy
Schedule
Circuit Schematic
Counts to 212 = 4096
Freq = 250 Hz
Cost Tubing $ 18.00
Base/Frame $ 15.00 Connectors $ 14.00 Circuitry $ 34.00
Material/Foam $ 10.00 Decorations/Balls $ 14.00
TOTAL: $ 105.00
Safety Concerns
Problem Solution
Tipping Sturdy wide base
Sharp edges Foam padding and material protection
Electric shock Secured and inaccessible circuitry
Choking 3" Diameter balls
Disconnection of components Reinforced attachments
Jonathon
Teresita
Testing InSight 2: InColor
Visual search task that utilizes a choice reaction time procedure
Subject presented with 36 arrays of 2,8, and 32 stimulus items and must accurately decide whether the target stimulus is present or absent (press “P” or “A” on keyboard)
ResultsPre- and Post-Reaction Times
3 children: (12 trials at each stimulus level)
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
0 10 20 30 40
Number of stimuli on screen
Rea
ctio
n Ti
me
(sec
)
Pre-exposurePost-exposure
Paired t-test:# stimuli P value
2 .246 8 .084232 .0376
Conclusions Statistically significant decrease in reaction time for
arrays of 8 and 32 stimuli after exposure to toy. Though limited sample size, data indicates toy could
provide potential increase in visual tracking skills
Future Work Present finalized prototype to children at Thomas Joy
Elementary School. Additional testing to ensure effects and necessary
exposure time
Acknowledgements Reesi Davis Dr. Galloway Steve Gebhart Jack Virostko HomeDepot/Lowes/Eddie Warner/Micheal’s Who ever invented duct-tape and hot glue guns?
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