Quantcast
PCWorld.com is upgrading some back-end systems. Some site features, such as user registration, may be temporarily unavailable.
Subscribe to magazine

Which PC Do You Need?

One computer doesn't fit all. We look at systems for the office, the home, and the road to help you find the right machine.

Roy Santos

  • 0 Yes
  • 0 No

Profile: Using the Littlepc to Improve Lives

Harold Blank attaches Stealth Computer's Littlepc and a touch screen to wheelchairs, giving the disabled the means to interact easily with others.

Photograph: Katherine Lambert
Harold Blank has been trying to assist people afflicted with cerebral palsy for many years. As a board member for CHI Centers in Baltimore, an organization that provides services to about a thousand people with various disabilities, he has led the development of specialized software that is designed to help the disabled communicate with others by using computers and touch-screen monitors.

Blank has used different PCs in the past, but currently he finds Stealth Computer's small system, the Littlepc, to have the best combination of light weight, small size, and power. Before discovering the Littlepc, Blank usually specified laptops for his clients. Though they were compact, notebook PCs were kludgy to use because Blank had to remove each machine's LCD and connect the remainder to a touch screen.

Now Blank mounts both the Littlepc and the touch screen to a special bracket on a user's wheelchair. The PC provides access to his Assistive Technology software, which includes over 4000 common words and phrases. Icons on the touch screen represent everyday categories such as food, clothing, and feelings. Through prerecorded audio, the software verbalizes user-selected categories and words, allowing the user to communicate easily by depending on common phrases or requests.

Considering that Blank started out with a DOS-based system that relied on icons glued to a keyboard, he believes the Littlepc is a vast improvement. Because he doesn't have to concentrate too much on tinkering with PC hardware, the Littlepc has allowed him to focus on improving the software to incorporate newer features, such as customized text-to-speech and different versions for other nonverbal people, such as stroke victims.

  • Recommend this story?
  • 0 Yes
    0 No

Daily Deals

Special Offers for PC World Users

Dell's December Days of Deals

People who read this also read:

  • 15 Minutes to a Secure Business Get the Secure in 15 toolkit starting with the "15 Minutes Month-at-a-Glance" calendar. McAfee will send you additional tools and tricks to stay protected around the clock.
  • A Buyer's Guide to Data Protection Implementing data protection products and processes can be daunting. Make the right decisions by exploring what is available and what makes sense for your organization. Use this simple guide to evaluate different vendor offerings.

Sponsored Links