Overview
Digital access and literacy are core skills needed in today’s world. Physical disabilities across the lifespan often impact a person’s ability to access computers and mobile devices as they are commercially designed. Barriers may be related to an inability to access peripheral components such as trackpads, mice, and keyboards due to strength, coordination, anatomical factors, or range of motion disabilities. Disabilities may be present at birth and are lifelong or may appear later in life due to trauma or neurological disease.
Creating custom interface solutions to meet a person’s strengths and abilities is a way of ensuring access. Assistive technologies created to support these needs are often commercially made and designed to meet a narrow segment of the disability population and often require further customization. Abandonment of assistive technologies is a “wicked problem” often due to user or technology-related factors or lack of access to support networks or social factors. Cost is often one of the largest barriers and a mismatch between the user and technology.
Currently, the fabrication of high-tech devices that encourage increased independence is limited to commercially available devices and emerging open-source devices. Both require a moderate level of training to customize when meeting a user’s needs with the knowledge siloed to engineers or practitioners with more intricate technical skills.
To encourage design access for nontechnical novice practitioners, family members, and users themselves, a workshop series for rapid prototyping using the Microbit board is being developed. The Microbit is a low-cost (~ $20) board that contains a host of sensors, input and output components as well as communication protocols including Bluetooth and radio. The board can be powered using a battery pack and is easily mounted on a variety of prototyping materials including cardboard, felt, and 3D-printed housings. In particular, this board is being selected as it supports the ability to prototype using no solder solutions.
The Microbit can be programmed using multiple commonly used programming languages including Javascript and Python; however, during this intensive, block-based visual programming through Makecode will be utilized. The platform supports novice programmers and lowers common frustration barriers related to syntax and documentation which exists in other programming platforms.
Suggested Workshop Projects
This workshop aims to be hands-on and encourages ideation and customization to meet a user’s needs. Below are the suggested units and what general principles will be covered:
| Unit | Description |
|---|---|
| Microbit Overview + cause and effect devices | A general overview of the Microbit features, input and output options and general programming workflow. Using the built-in GPIO pins, participants will create a custom input device for cause-and-effect activities using light, sound, or vibration. |
| Using relays with switch adapted toys | Connecting a relay to the Microbit to either modify the behavior of an adapted switch to include delayed activation, latching, or activation on a release or use the Microbit’s motion sensors to activate the toy. Radio communication will be used to develop remote toy activation. |
| Bluetooth communication for switch scanning | The Microbit will be used to create a Bluetooth connection to a host device to create a wireless two-switch scanning access method for computer use or media control. |
| Wireless morse code typing | The Microbit will be programmed as an alternative text input method to a paired computer or tablet using both a single or double switch using Morse Code. |
| Motion-controlled mouse cursor | The Microbit will be programmed and mounted on a user’s body part to allow for wireless mouse cursor navigation to a host device. The attached inputs are used for click functionality. |