Speech Driven Environmental Control System (SPECS) From Specification to Prototype

Abstract

The SPECS project is designing a new speech driven environmental control to include use by people with dysathric speech. The project is funded by the National Institute for Health Research and is developing the device with a large UK assistive technology company. The aim is that the device will be designed in a user-centric way. The initial stage of the project involved performing detailed qualitative interviews of people currently using speech-driven environmental control systems and a focus group of professionals which discussed current speech-driven environmental control systems and ‘blue sky’ ideas. Data from these were rigorously analysed using a framework approach [1]. This enabled full specification of the proposed new device and the results of this stage have recently been published [2]. This paper will present the process undertaken to go from specification to prototype testing, how user involvement has been incorporated and will discuss the key findings to date. At the time of RAATE 2009 we will be nearing completion of the prototype testing