Boxxy

Figure 1: The Boxxy device with four of the shapes. When the device detects a shape going down the slide, it illuminates the appropriate icon on the back panel. The shape then slides out of the slot on the front edge.

Designers: Sara Oliver, Jason Williams, Bryan Kirsch
Client Coordinator: Jennifer Radzik, OTR/L

INTRODUCTION

Our client is a cheerful three-year-old girl with partial agenesis of the corpus callosum. This results in poor muscle coordination and delays in reaching developmental milestones. She works with physical and occupational therapists to improve her fine motor skills, body awareness, and muscle coordination. To help with these goals, therapists have her practice a “put-in” task, in which the client picks up an object and places it inside a container set on the table. At the current time, the client cannot use commercially available “put-in” toys because she lacks the ability to raise her hand above the top of the container, and she is not able to distinguish and sort shapes. In addition, most put-in toys have holes smaller than 2 inches in diameter, which is too small of a target for our client.

We developed a fun, electronic “put-in” device that incorporates positive feedback so that the client can play with the device with minimal assistance from therapists or caregivers. The device can adapt to make the task more challenging to promote continual growth in the target developmental areas. These adaptations include different size holes and different audio cues from the device. The device is safe and enjoyable.

 

Figure 1: The Boxxy device with four of the shapes. When the device detects a shape going down the slide, it illuminates the appropriate icon on the back panel. The shape then slides out of the slot on the front edge.

Figure 1: The Boxxy device with four of the shapes. When the device detects a shape going down the slide, it illuminates the appropriate icon on the back panel. The shape then slides out of the slot on the front edge.

STATEMENT OF IMPACT

The client’s therapists stated that the device is applicable to the client’s needs and it will promote fine motor skills, muscle coordination, and body awareness for the client and for other children with similar needs. The occupational therapist declared that, “this device fits a need that cannot yet be found in the marketplace.” She added that “the team was very professional and creative. They took a vision of a team of professionals (speech therapist, occupational therapist, and a teacher) and created a perfect device.” The client herself declared the device to be “Fun!”

 

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

The device consists of an electronic “box” that uses a wireless sensing system to detect when the user has dropped a particular shape (e.g. triangle, square) into the opening. The device then provides audio and visual feedback to the user, specific to the shape. For example, the device may instruct the user put in the square shape. When she drops the square shape into the box, it will detect that shape and respond with “good job, you put in the square shape!” and it will illuminate an icon of the corresponding shape. It will also let her know if she dropped in the wrong shape.

The device housing is an acrylic box, including an 8”x8” opening. The user interface is on the back so that only the caregiver or therapist can access it. Below the opening of the box is a slide at an angle of 20 degrees and coated with a polyethylene film to make it more slippery. Therefore, when the user drops a shape into the box, it slides out a slot on the front so that the user can easily retrieve it.

The detection mechanism uses radio-frequency identification, RFID, which is a wireless system to communicate between small coin-sized tags and a detector. Tags are placed inside the shapes, and each tag has a unique code so that the detector (ID-12 RFID reader, ID Innovations) can identify each shape. The detector is placed inside the box and underneath the slide, with a custom made antenna so that it can detect the RFID-encoded shape as it slides down any part of the slide.

The detector then sends a signal to the microcontroller (Arduino Uno). The Arduino triggers the appropriate feedback for the specific object. The audio feedback is provided by the Arduino Rugged Audio Shield through a speaker. The visual feedback is provided through a light-up display of shapes located on the box.

The shapes include stars, hexagons, squares, and triangles. They are 2.5” in diameter and 0.5” wide, which is an appropriate size for our client to grab. Shapes are provided in three colors – red, green, and blue and made of acrylic with the RFID tag inserted in the middle.

Templates placed on top of the box opening, in order of increasing difficulty:

  • Template with 7” opening
  • Template with 4” opening
  • Templates with several openings to match each of the different shapes

Modes of operation, in order of increasing difficulty:

  • Simple: Device responds to whatever shape is put in.
  • Choice: Device prompts user to put in a specific shape and provides appropriate feedback

Other settings:

  • Record: Record new audio prompts for objects using spare RFID tags.
  • Random/Pattern: Select if device prompts for objects in a random or predetermined order
  • Color/No Color: Selects if shapes are also identified by color
  • Built-in/Custom: Built-in – prompts and responses are pre-programmed; Custom – user selects custom prompts for new objects
  • Audio On/Off: allows user to turn on/off the audio feedback and prompting
  • Lights On/Off: allows user to turn on/off visual LED feedback

Extra RFID tags are provided to enable the therapists and caregivers to insert them in additional objects, and they can also make new recordings for those objects. The device is powered by a rechargeable lithium ion battery. A small LCD screen displays mode and option information during setup.

The total cost of this device is $435.

Figure 2: Client using the Boxxy device

Figure 2: Client using the Boxxy device

 

 

Posted in | Comments (0)