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The Highs and Lows of my Assistive Technology Experience
by Stephen Kavanagh
I have been using the Eco II Communication Aid for the past 3 years. It is good having my Liberator Eco II because I can talk to my friends in work. In order to talk with my friends, I write out my sentences on a screen using a reflective dot placed on my forehead which acts like a computer mouse. I simply rotate my head and an arrow icon on the screen follows my movements. As a result I can select the appropriate letter or predictive word which I then can select to form sentences. When my sentence is complete, a voice activated sound within the computer reads off my constructed sentence.
This piece of assistive technology has allowed me to also access the internet and has made me become more independent, along with my mobility chair. Over the years, I have participated in presentations in conferences and universities for disability awareness using this form of communication. I have managed to set up Powerpoint presentations on the computer via my communication aid. I am fortunate that I have a circle of support through family, carers and Enable Ireland, especially the A.T. Department, who have come to my rescue whenever there were glitches with the software found within my communication aid. My advice for those who are searching for their right piece of assistive technology to support their needs is to link with those that are already using it, whether hi-tech or low-tech, which will make it easier to identify the type of assistive technology they require.
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