This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop a standard method of providing computer access to people with physical disabilities. In recent years the use of personal computers in education has increased dramatically. Because many people with physical disabilities are not able to use a keyboard or a mouse, it is difficult to provide them with equal access to this education. A variety of devices have been developed which provide an alternate means of controlling computers but their usefulness is seriously compromised by the lack of a standard method of providing computer control. The recent introduction of the PCMCIA bus, a technology which uses credit card sized interface devices, provides an opportunity to standardize computer access for people with disabilities. This project will develop software interfaces which will allow personal computers to be controlled through the PCMCIA bus. A family of interface devices will also be developed. The design characteristics of the software will be documented in an open standard which will be provided to both the computer industry and manufacturers of assistive technology.

Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
1995-02-01
Budget End
1996-03-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1994
Total Cost
$74,686
Indirect Cost
Name
Westest Engineering Corporation
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Farmington
State
UT
Country
United States
Zip Code
84025