Smart Assistive Device as Human Machine Interface (HMI)

As per the 6th Population and Housing Census of 2017, the percentage of people with disabilities is 0.48 percent. This translates into 1,152,000 people, which is quite a big number. Such people get dependent on other people or totally get bedridden. Therefore, we wa

Project Title

Smart Assistive Device as Human Machine Interface (HMI)

Project Area of Specialization

Biomedical Engineering

Project Summary

As per the 6th Population and Housing Census of 2017, the percentage of people with disabilities is 0.48 percent. This translates into 1,152,000 people, which is quite a big number. Such people get dependent on other people or totally get bedridden. Therefore, we want to develop such a device which would allow people with disabilities to control computers or other devices and lead an independent life or at least reduce their dependencies on other people. After COVID-19 pandemic and even before it, many jobs were shifted online and became computer based. Therefore, by creating such a device, we can potentially generate a source of income for these people and hereby reduce their dependence upon others.

Project sticks to its goal of minimizing human effort of controlling devices. Our applied aspect of this project is to provide and demonstrate a working device that we can use to control a computer cursor using the readings we get from the Electroencephalography (EEG) sensor. Our plan is to build a finished and cost-effective product. This product should potentially solve or provide an alternate solution to bridge the gap between disabled and not disabled computer users, as shown in the survey below:

 According to an Oxford internet survey from 2013, there were 51 percent of disabled people on the internet as compared to 84 percent of not disabled users on the internet. While the situation is much worse in countries like Pakistan. On the other hand, we do not want to limit our project to solving a problem for disabled people. We want to provide a new medium for interacting with machines to the general audience as well.

            Our project or proposed solution is pillared on the basic design intuition figure shown above, and whole project would be built upon that understanding with multiple refining stages. Our project design would comprise of four components. Firstly, we have a sensor that records EEG signal, second would be the transmitter which in our case is a Bluetooth module, third is the computer/microcontroller which receives our Bluetooth signal and processes information which it gets via a software and lastly, we have a head band design using SolidWorks to pack our hardware for comfortable use. Improvements can be made in all sections of this project via continuous development cycle which would refine the product.

Project Objectives

The project goal is to control devices with minimum physical effort. In one specific case which we have chosen, a mouse cursor on screen is to be moved with minimum physical effort by its user. This is particularly to empower disabled people with limited motor-abilities (cannot move a lot) to use computers. The knowledge and apparatus used in this project can be easily modified/reconfigured to serve loads of other purposes as well.

Project Implementation Method

Since the goal is to control devices with minimum physical effort, the core requirement for implementation of this project is to devise a way for decision making. For this purpose, we will use an Electroencephalography (EEG) sensor and the signal generated by it will be used. However, in future, additional sensors like gyroscope, accelerometer, and Electromyography (EMG) might be used.

The EEG sensor's electrode will be attached to the right side of forehead, above right eyebrow. For the aforementioned "decision making", the EEG signal generated upon eye blinking is used. Whenever the user blinks an eye, a positive and negative peak/spike is generated in EEG signal. This peak is then sent over to a computer where it is then processed and used for decision making i.e., appropriate cursor movement/clicking or for any other device’s control.

Benefits of the Project

• Decreasing dependency of disabled people on other people
• Ease of access/usage to computers/other devices for disabled people
• Introducing a potentially new Human-Machine Interface (HMI) in market

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

The final deliverable of the project would be a fully finished product/device ready for use. The device would include a 3D printed enclosure/housing for the EEG sensor, Bluetooth module and the power supply. Along with that, software package would be provided, and it will also be updated with time through GitHub.

Final Deliverable of the Project

HW/SW integrated system

Core Industry

Health

Other Industries

IT , Medical

Core Technology

NeuroTech

Other Technologies

3D/4D Printing, Wearables and Implantables

Sustainable Development Goals

Good Health and Well-Being for People, Reduced Inequality

Required Resources

If you need this project, please contact me on contact@adikhanofficial.com