Assistive Technology

Cook & Hussey (2002) define assistive technology as 'any item of equipment or product system whether aquired commercially off the shelf, modified or customised that is used to increase or improve functional capacitites of individuals with disabilities'. This basically means any piece of equipment that is used in order to enhance occupation.

We were lucky enough in class to have a guest speaker Dave Speden who came to talk us about his experiences with assistive technologies in his occupational therapy practices. This was very exciting and I had no idea that there were so many different assistive technologies in this world.

So an assistive technology that I can share is the some what historic now days basic digital camera. Digital cameras are a great way to capture and record images and videos. Occupational therapists are able to use these devices for mant things within practice. The first way is through intervention, some clients may indeed have a passion for photography, so this is therefore a meaningful occupation to them. Secondly they can be used solely for the therapists benefit. In the community they can used to take photos of a person's home that is yet to modified, in order for the therapist to retain where all the fixtures and fittings are placed. And thirdly they can be used for the purpose to educate, to show a client how a piece of equipment works when they are not physically able to see the equipment.

Digital cameras can cost anywhere between $150 for a basic camera to anywhere in the $1000 and above category for a really hi-tech one. On this blog one of our tasks complete was to take 5 photos of things that are meaningful to me. In order to do this we used basic digital cameras and tripod.

Here is a youtube clip of some photos that some people in a classroom have taken photos of. This could easily be used as a form of therapy for anyone that has photography as a meaningful occupation

References

Cook & Hussey (2002). Assistive technologies and practice. Michigan: Mosby.

Link to blogs of interest and exchanging comments

I have linked to 5 blogs which can be found on the right hand side of my blog.

I was able to comment on Sarah H's OT Blog for tuorial 6.
http://sarahherbert88.blogspot.com/

I have been able to link with other bloggers blogs and express my opinion by commenting on their blog.

The Internet and Online Communities

An occupation that is meaningful to me and that I enjoy is badminton. I used to play the sport all through school, and I enjoy as it tests a persons agility and is very fast paced.

Wikipedia is a grat website to use in order to gain a quick definition on a particular topic. When searching badminton on wikipedia the following definition come up 'Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players (singles) or two opposing pairs (doubles), who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net. Players score points by striking a shuttlecock (also known as a shuttle, bird, or birdy) with their racquet so that it passes over the net and lands in their opponents' half of the court. Each side may only strike the shuttlecock once before it passes over the net. A rally ends once the shuttlecock has struck the floor. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Badminton

Another website I use to update myself is http://www.thecgf.com/. This website is the for the commonwealth games. It allows me to keep up to date with all the badminton action when it is the year for the games. I simply just click on the sports link and then to badminton. There is also a range of other sports that are within the commonwealth that are included as well. The site allows me to keep up with the sport by country, gameor events. Having this wide range of options is easy for me to access what games result I want.

The final website which I can access for badminton is http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?assoc=2406&name=Badminton%20New%20Zealand&client=1-0-0-0-0. From this website I am able to see a range of levels of badminton from New Zealand representatives through to regional representatives and tournaments. The events are arranged into age groups so it is easy to find what results I am looking for. There is an events calender on here which enables me to view or enter certain events if I wanted to. As well as the laws of badminton in order for me to keep up to date with any new rules or rule changes.

These websites allow communication through players and officals. They communicate to the public by letting them view the website but the public can also contact them through contact numbers and emails. With more people having access to information on their nearest club, they are more likely to participate in badminton or just even watch badminton.
Here is a youtube clip of a realllly amazing rally, both teams have awesome reflexes and placement of the shuttlecock.

Digital Imaging

Hardware and software are ways to storage files when using digital imaging.

Hardware:
- An external hard drive is a device that allows a person to keep a back up copy of a file in case their computer or laptop was infected with a virus. It also can be used when the computer or laptops hard drive is full and needs more space on it in order to function efficently.
- An ipod or iphone is another source of a hardware. Through the sharing of song and other files from the computer or laptop onto the ipod or iphone. The files are transferred by plugging the ipod or iphone cord  into the computer then a process called syncing occurs (which is the transfer of allocated files).
- A pen drive is a small form of hardware that with todays technologies are constantly being able to hold larger amounts of software. The pen drive plugs directly into the USB port of a computer or laptop, transferring of files is very easy as it is just a copy and paste process.

Software:
-Itunes is a computer software in which songs are stored and can be played from, as said above plug an ipod or iphone into a computer with itunes and the syncing process with happen. Itunes also has a built in itunes store this is where when connected to the internet you can purchase songs, music videos and movies and download them straight to your computer. Because you have to pay for everything you download it is a legal form of downloading.
- Windows Movie Maker is a software programme in which images or video clips can be sequenced together in order to make a movie. Effects can be added to the movie in order to create flow.
- Windows Photo Gallery is a photoshop editor which allows you to crop, change the colour, adjust exposure and reduce red eye. This will allow any person to improve the quality of the images they have captured on a camera or camera cellphone.

Flickr is an online website that allows account users to upload, store and share digital photos. These photos can be kept private or can be selected as public for everyone on the internet to see. Flickr allows people to share photos on blogs through making them a badge on the blog. This means not only can the photos been seen on the flickr website but on the persons blog as well.

Youtube is another online site in which videos are shared. Like flickr it is similar but it is with videos not photos. I have hyperlined to many youtube videos in my video productions sessions on my blog.

Digital vs Film
"A new technology is rarely superior to an old one in every future".

DIGITAL
Pluses
- Fast and easy
- Able to view and discard if wanted after taking photo
- People are easily able to access them

Minuses
- Cords to transfer data
- Storage system can lose data
- Back up storage system pre date easily eg CDs

FILM
Pluses
- Being surprised with what photos come off the film
- Can only be lost if film negatives are lost

Minuses
- Photos damage easily
- Film can be damaged easily as well
- If negatives are lost the photos are gone

Ethical Issues
Images are easily captures and transferred onto internet websites such as facebook or twitter. These photos can then be tagged with people in them. Depending on the privacy setting of the person who uploaded the photos depends on how many people can actually view these photos. Often people will come across photos of themselves that they do not want people to be able to view on the internet and the only way to get them off is to as the person to remove it. Sure you can 'untag' yourself but that only stops you being identified to people who don't know you.

Another issue would be with youtube uploading views of people in the community without there permission. An example of this can be seen in this clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5r8NDFvhkw. How many of these people going to the library to study were asked if they could be filmed?

Digital Imaging and Occupational Therapy
Digital imaging is used within occupational therapy practice in a number of ways.
Firstly equipment catalogues provide therapists with digital photos of products, this allows therapist to see exactly what a product looks like before purchasing it for a client.
And secondly when going on a home visit in order to complete a house modification. A therapist may take a photo on a camera device of the existing room or rooms. In order for him/her to remember where all the fixtures and fittings are in a room and to modify this room accurately.