[Comm] DARPA/NIH grants for collab FS (Fwd: [seul-edu] A significant assistive technology project (fwd))

[Michael Shigorin <mike@osdn.org.ua>]

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----- Forwarded message from Doug Loss <drloss@suscom.net> -----

Date: Sun, 01 Dec 2002 11:57:50 -0500
From: Doug Loss <drloss@suscom.net>
To: schoolforge-discuss@schoolforge.net, seul-edu@seul.org
Subject: [seul-edu] A significant assistive technology project (fwd)

This isn't exactly educationally oriented, but I thought some of us might be interested in assisting:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 2002-12-01 11:26:40 -0500
From: LaGiannina@aol.com
Subject: A significant assistive technology project

Dear Mr. Doug Loss, Executive
You may be interested in participating in a 
significant and important assistive technology
research project built on an end-to-end Linux-
based collaborative system.

NIH and ED grants are available for research 
covering the above-mentioned topics. DARPA 
and NIST type grants are also atainable.

Many of the non-profit foundations will be 
interested in such research since it affects
half the population of the world: the disabled 
and the people who help them. Also corporate
participation is anticipated to provide the needed 
assistive technology (AT) hardware and software 
platforms.

It should be noted that most of the software
components needed for collaborative systems
is available from a small software company in the 
Bay Area who has made the commitment to
provide such software as well as to administer
the project of integration and grant management.

If interested, I will link you up with this group
since they will be in charge of integration, while
I am doing the investigation in clinical study style.

Janine M. Lodato
LaGiannina@aol.com





              Needy People of the World Unite
         (Linux, Lindows to rescue the needy)
                  by  Janine M. Lodato
                   LaGiannina@aol.com

Some of the most criminal and immoral aspects of the
monopolistic practices of Microsoft, which for all
practical purposes eliminated or curtailed competition,
are the facts that PCs today are...
...much too expensive,
...insanely unreliable,
...maddeningly complex.

These negative attributes of the Windows world
make the PCs of today useless for the truly needy:
....the aging population,
....the physically disabled,
....the learning disabled,
....and the professionals working with all the above.
The sum of these people accounts for more than half 
the population of the world. They are in need of a 
collaborative assistive technology (AT) system which 
operates with telephone style simplicity. An end-to-end 
AT-based collaborative system connected via the Web
will allow the professionals to provide support group
style assistance in the form of a simple virtual community.

Now that Linux is available, it is feasible to approach 
this very large market using a low-cost, rugged and simple
client system. Linux-based client systems connected
to Linux servers are perfect for such end-to-end
AT systems offering. The reliable and simple features
of Linux coupled with low cost Linux based hardware
and platforms and applications are the only solution
for these end users who need AT capabilities.

A very significant upgrade of self-supported health 
improvement can be achieved using assistive 
technologies (AT) connected via the Web.
Recent scientific studies by major universities 
in the field of behavioral medicine including 
psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) indicate that getting 
involved with collaborative group activities 
has significant rehabilitation potential. In fact
behavioral medicine can prevent disease, and
improve quality of life and rehabilitate. 
Of course it does not replace the pharmaceuticals, 
but it does improve their effectiveness.

It is suggested that the collaborative virtual community
systems, based on Web connected AT clients and servers, 
supporting the disabled and the aging can also be used for
the able-bodied eyes-busy, hands-busy professionals to 
improve their productivity. Also learning disabled children
can make very good use of AT. This low cost set of AT
platforms and associated Web connectivity could be 
very useful in many government and commercial employment 
arenas. This dual-use type approach will significantly lower 
the cost of the needed technologies for all groups.
 
Of course there is still work to be done. Applications for 
AT platforms must be developed or perfected to allow collaboration between 
the health service professionals 
or social worker professionals and the many people in need. 
Web connected AT oriented software components running on Linux client 
machines connected to Linux servers have to be created such as...
....simple and application specific user interface,
....voice based interaction via computer/telephone,
....always on and always available systems,
....a collaborative virtual community systems.

Through such systems the professionals can monitor, 
mentor and moderate and even medicate the members 
of the collaborative community. For a good example: 
Dealing with students who have learning disabilities, it is 
important to get their attention, to bolster their behavior 
and finally to improve their cognitive productivity.  With 
assistive technology people can prevent further destruction 
of their faculties, improve their quality of life and can even be 
rehabilitated somewhat.  Just the idea of being productive 
adds to a person's self-esteem enormously.  

I have many years of personal experience using AT and found 
it very helpful in SPMS (secondary progressive multiple sclerosis)
conditions as described below in a brief review of my
personal experiences.  

In addition to my extensive experience with AT I also have
related graduate credentials from both California State 
Univ at Northridge  (the center for AT corporate interactions) 
as well as CSU in Sacramento and UOP in Stockton.   
        
     In spite of my handicap, I find it gratifying and fulfilling to 
concentrate my efforts on projects worthwhile to a very deserving community.  
Involvement such as this has proved to have healing powers for me.  I am 
living proof of the powers of PNI based on personal involvement.       
     Having relied on AT in order to survive my wheelchair imprisonment, 
specifically voice recognition for writing, I see dual value: one for the 
hands-busy, eyes-busy professionals increasing their productivity through 
ease of use, and the other, of course, for use by the physically disabled.
     Being disabled with MS, I use IBM ViaVoice on a MAC to write. It allows 
me to verbally communicate by email with my friends as well as giving me the 
opportunity to express myself and get involved with worthwhile projects in 
the AT arena.
     Typically voice recognition systems spell very well but now and then 
some of them do make typos which really take the cake:   
        -- eat March for ?emerge?   
           -- in edit a bowl for ?inevitable? 
           -- not see for ?Nazi?           
           -- multiple skull roses for ?multiple sclerosis?  
           -- HBO sink receives for "idiosyncrasies"  
      A loud sneeze from my husband nearby inspires the computer to type aha. 
     
 
     I receive enduring fulfillment from developing my intellectual strengths 
and putting them to positive use. I learn from my negative experiences which 
have been many in my 54 years of existence and I savor my positive 
experiences  to learn optimism.
     The best way to use these intellectual strengths is to get involved with 
collaborative teamwork and personal communications within the disabled 
community and with companies who provide assistive technologies for this 
community.         
     It is important for me to maintain what little health I have and 
to become involved in something I hold great faith in.  So I have decided to 
become involved in the latest AT systems available to people with 
disabilities.  I am especially interested in technologies that help the 
disabled express themselves, such as voice recognition for writing and 
voice-activated telephone service for talking.
     There are many AT type technologies that focus on, and make good use of 
the physical abilities a disabled person may still have such as voice, lip 
movement, eye motion and brain waves. These capabilities can be used with 
brain-actuated computer systems and voice recognition software, to name a 
few.  Integrating these already-existing technologies into something usable 
by disabled clients so they can express themselves will offer them freedom in 
spite of their handicap.    
     Understanding that there are companies already seeking to address this 
market makes my involvement in the area that much easier and completely 
natural.  Finding companies geared toward brain-actuated computer control 
systems is my next assignment.  
     As a handicapped woman who still has control of her mental faculties and 
voice, I have something to offer by connecting the right people so that I can 
integrate systems through the Internet to develop a mutually beneficial 
virtual community.       
     Personal communications and collaborative teamwork need assistive 
technologies to further the self-esteem of the disabled.
     In short, involvement allows disabled people not only a distraction from 
their problems, but also a constructive way to spend their time while helping 
a cause they believe in.  
     The positive rehabilitative effects of Behavioral Medicine is my method 
of surviving and thriving until a final cure for MS is developed.


Janine M. Lodato
P.O.Box 838
SAN ANDREAS, CA.
95249-838

Voice Mail: 866-484-2371
Voice Mail Box #: 184905
   ~|__
     ( o )\_
Voice Recognition Technology
http://www.e-bility.com/articles/voice_recognition.shtml   
The Assistive Technology Journal, Article #05
http://atnet.org/news/sept02/090105.html
FunList.com - Original Stories
http://www.funlist.com/www/coke/lib/symbol.html


<lodato.html>

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Doug Loss              Courage is resistance to
drloss@suscom.net      fear, mastery of fear--
                       not absence of fear.
                         Mark Twain





   [1]LINUX GAZETTE 
   ...making Linux just a little more fun!

                  Handicapped People of the World, Unite!
                           By [2]Janine M Lodato

   This article explores Linux's potential role in assistive technology
   (AT). AT allows those living with multiple schlerosis, other handicaps
   or the affects of aging to take greater control in maintaining their
   health and living independently. 

Introduction

   Some of the most criminal and immoral aspects of the monopolistic
   practices of Microsoft, which for all practical purposes eliminated or
   curtailed competition, is the fact that PCs today are
     * much too expensive.
     * insanely unreliable.
     * maddeningly complex.

   These negative attributes of the Windows world makes the PCs of today
   useless for the truly needy:
     * the aging population.
     * the physically disabled.
     * the learning disabled.
     * and the professionals working with all the above.

   The sum of these people account for more than half the population of
   the world. They are in need of a collaborative assistive technology
   (AT) system which operates with telephone-style simplicity. An
   end-to-end AT-based collaborative system connected via the Web will
   allow the professionals to provide support group-style assistance in
   the form of a simple virtual community.

   Now that Linux is available, it is feasible to approach this very
   large market using a low-cost, rugged and simple client system.
   Linux-based client systems connected to Linux servers are perfect for
   such end-to-end AT systems offering. The reliable and simple features
   of Linux coupled with low cost Linux based hardware and platforms and
   applications are the only solution for these end users who need AT
   capabilities.

The work to be done

   A very significant upgrade of self-supported health improvement can be
   achieved using assistive technologies (AT) connected via the Web.
   Recent scientific studies by major universities in the field of
   behavioral medicine including psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) indicate
   that getting involved with collaborative group activities has
   significant rehabilitation potential. In fact behavioral medicine can
   prevent disease, and improve quality of life and rehabilitate. Of
   course it does not replace the pharmaceuticals, but it does improve
   their effectiveness.

   It is suggested that the collaborative virtual community systems,
   based on Web-connected AT clients and servers, supporting the disabled
   and the aging can also be used for the able-bodied eyes-busy,
   hands-busy professionals to improve their productivity. Also
   learning-disabled children can make very good use of AT. This low cost
   set of AT platforms and associated Web connectivity could be very
   useful in many government and commercial employment arenas. This
   dual-use type approach will significantly lower the cost of the needed
   technologies for all groups.

   Of course there is still work to be done. Applications for AT
   technologies must be developed or perfected to allow collaboration
   between the health service professionals or social worker
   professionals and the many people in need. Web connected AT oriented
   software components running on Linux client machines connected to
   Linux servers have to be created such as
     * simple and application specific user interface.
     * voice based interaction via computer/telephone.
     * always-on and always-available systems.
     * a collaborative virtual community systems.

   Through such systems the professionals can monitor, mentor and
   moderate and even medicate the members of the collaborative community.
   For a good example: when dealing with students with learning
   disabilities, it is important to get their attention, to bolster their
   behavior and finally to improve their cognitive productivity. With
   assistive technology people can prevent further destruction of their
   faculties, improve their quality of life and can even be rehabilitated
   somewhat. Just the idea of being productive adds to a person's
   self-esteem enormously.

A personal example

   I have many years of personal experience using AT and found it very
   helpful in SPMS (secondary progressive multiple sclerosis) conditions
   as described below in a brief review of my personal experiences.

   In addition to my extensive experience with AT I also have related
   graduate credentials from both California State Univ at Northridge
   (the center for AT corporate interactions) as well as CSU in
   Sacramento and UOP in Stockton.

   In spite of my handicap, I find it gratifying and fulfilling to
   concentrate my efforts on projects worthwhile to a very deserving
   community. Involvement such as this has proved to have healing powers
   for me. I am living proof of the powers of PNI based on personal
   involvement.

   Having relied on AT in order to survive my wheelchair imprisonment,
   specifically voice recognition for writing, I see dual value: one for
   the hands-busy, eyes-busy professionals increasing their productivity
   through ease of use, and the other, of course, for use by the
   physically disabled.

   Being disabled with MS, I use IBM ViaVoice on a MAC to write. It
   allows me to verbally communicate by email with my friends as well as
   giving me the opportunity to express myself and get involved with
   worthwhile projects in the AT arena.

   Typically voice recognition systems spell very well but now and then
   some of them do make typos which really take the cake:
     * emerge -> eat March
     * inevitable -> in edit a bowl
     * Nazi -> not see
     * multiple schlerosis -> multiple skull roses
     * idiosyncracies -> HBO sink receives
     * A loud sneeze from my husband nearby inspires the computer to type
       "aha".

   I receive enduring fulfillment from developing my intellectual
   strengths and putting them to positive use. I learn from my negative
   experiences which have been many in my 54 years of existence and I
   savor my positive experiences to learn optimism.

   The best way to use these intellectual strengths is to get involved
   with collaborative teamwork and personal communications within the
   disabled community and with companies who provide assistive
   technologies for this community.

   It is important for me to maintain what little health I have and to
   become involved in something I hold great faith in. So I have decided
   to become involved in the latest AT systems available to people with
   disabilities. I am especially interested in technologies that help the
   disabled express themselves, such as voice recognition for writing and
   voice-activated telephone service for talking.

   There are many AT type technologies that focus on, and make good use
   of the physical abilities a disabled person may still have such as
   voice, lip movement, eye motion and brain waves. These capabilities
   can be used with brain-actuated computer systems and voice recognition
   software, to name a few. Integrating these already-existing
   technologies into something usable by disabled clients so they can
   express themselves will offer them freedom in spite of their handicap.

   Understanding that there are companies already seeking to address this
   market makes my involvement in the area that much easier and
   completely natural. Finding companies geared toward brain-actuated
   computer control systems is my next assignment.

   As a handicapped woman who still has control of her mental faculties
   and voice, I have something to offer by connecting the right people so
   that I can integrate systems through the Internet to develop a
   mutually beneficial virtual community.

Conclusion

   Personal communications and collaborative teamwork need assistive
   technologies to further the self-esteem of the disabled. Linux, due to
   its low cost, open architecture and international development,
   provides an ideal platform for building these technologies. Those
   living with handicaps (and their relatives and friends) can make a
   unique contribution to this effort because they know firsthand what
   benefits AT can provide.

   Involvement in AT projects can help disabled people in another way
   too. Not only does it provide a distraction from their problems, but
   it's also a constructive way to spend their time while furthering a
   cause they believe in.

   The positive rehabilitative effects of Behavioral Medicine is my
   method of surviving and thriving until a final cure for MS is
   developed.

     [LG would like to see additional articles and Mailbag letters about
     Linux's applicability in assistive technology. If you have any
     ideas, let us know. -Ed.] 
     _________________________________________________________________

             Copyright © 2002, Janine M Lodato. Copying license
                [3]http://www.linuxgazette.com/copying.html
           Published in Issue 85 of Linux Gazette, December 2002 
     _________________________________________________________________

References

   1. http://www.linuxgazette.com/
   2. file://localhost/usr/home/mike/authors/lodato.html
   3. file://localhost/usr/home/mike/copying.html


----- End forwarded message -----

-- 
 ---- WBR, Michael Shigorin <mike@altlinux.ru>
  ------ Linux.Kiev http://www.linux.kiev.ua/

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