Optimization and development of the components to improve the feedback for the patient in an electronic device for the treatment of visual neglect

Abstract

Consulta en la Biblioteca ETSI Industriales (Riunet)

[EN] The goal of this project is to improve the design of a hardware interface that with a developed software and a computer will help the people with hemispatial neglect. Some people, normally after suffering a stroke, although it can be caused also by a brain tumour or a hit to the head, have a default of their perception of one part of their body or the space around them. Hemispatial neglect can manifest in many forms: spatial neglect, olfactory neglect, hearing neglect or visual neglect, for instance. One of the most important is visual neglect, people with this problem, normally, do not detect the left part of their visual space. That is not a vision problem it is a perception problem. Their eyes work perfectly but their brain does not recognise the left part. Nowadays, these patients are treated with paper exercises. Dr. Andreas Schwarzbacher has developed a software, implemented by some students. This software transports this method of exercises from paper to the computer, which allows the patients to work in an independent way. This software consist of different games in which there are objects on the screen and the patient has to interact with them through the mouse or the touchable screen. Dr. Schwarzbacher shown a prototype to Ms. B. Hens (Neuropsychologist), Ms. Schmidt (Therapist for Neurological Therapy) and now the program is also used in Mr. Ackermanns Neuropsychologist practice as well as in the Mr. R. Erkens (Head of Neurology Therapy at Median Kliniken, Wiesbaden Germany) where the Medical tests are now run. Andreas designed the games and the students developed them. As feedback for the patient were developed two vibration wristbands and a LED Frame apart from a sound from the computer. This wristbands help the patient to detect the place of his mistake with the vibration of one of the wristbands, moreover the LED Frame shows the patient where his correct answer has been (LED’s turn green) or his wrong answer (LED’s turn red). After the hospital tests, Dr. Schwarzbacher checked that the size of the hardware interface (USB interface, decoding circuit and transistors) was too big. So the main purpose of this work has been to reduce the size of the electronic interface to install it in hospitals. Firstly, finding a new way to build it, changing the decoding circuit. Secondly, developing a new design with SMD components to minimize the height of the board and studying if it doable. Finally, building the PCB with standard components which are cheaper and easier to work with them. Moreover, the plastic cover for the LED’s frame has been designed and built in black plastic after several visits to Michael Ring from the school of Manufacturing and Design Engineering in the DIT of Bolton Street and different tests and models. A possible designed for the wristbands has been shown after a lot contacts by e-mails with different rubber wristbands manufacturers from all over the world. With the final board the problem of the flashing LED’s that is also reported in the previous work is solved and the LED’s frame works without flashes. Overall, this work has been develop a PCB for the LED’s frame and do it as small as possible.