Smiles all around

Melissa Sephton with Eeyore

Five-year-old Melissa Sephton gets a giggle out of her new, customized Eeyore which—thanks to the University of Victoria Assistive Technology Team (UVATT)—flaps his ears and sings a song when activated by an infrared remote.

The Victoria youngster has cerebral palsy with very limited control of her movements. UVATT was asked to design a device that would enable Melissa to learn how particular actions will elicit a response. Since she can't point or use a hand switch, the team —in consultation with Special Education Technology BC—opted for a device she can operate with her head.

Two people were assigned to the project—Eric Auer, a UVic engineering grad and now full-time UVATT employee, and Lana Olague, a third-year mechanical engineering student who is doing a co-op work term with UVATT.

After several trips to the toy store, Olague selected this Eeyore, which is normally activated when a switch on one of his paws is squeezed. Auer and Olague modified the toy to include the infrared detector (the box between the paws). Melissa wears a headband with the infrared remote, along with a laser pointer to help her find her "target."

Within minutes, Melissa gleefully learned how to activate Eeyore. Olague is now making another toy—Elvis the frog—for her to activate in the same way, and plans a range of other devices such as remote-activated lamps and fans. For another little girl in Vancouver she's designing a laser pointer-activated system that will change the volume and track on an iPod. The laser pointers are carefully selected to make sure they won't damage eyes.

UVATT is a group of UVic faculty, staff and students who design, build and test customized devices for those with special needs. To date, the team has developed more than 25 new technologies, ranging from tricycles for visually impaired children to complex brainwave and eye-tracking communication systems.

"Just seeing Melissa's smile is heartwarming, but this project also sums up what makes UVATT so special," says Dr. Nigel Livingston, the group's director. "Not only are we producing devices that make a positive difference to people's lives, but we're also providing students with a unique and incredibly rewarding work experience."

The team's work is inspiring others off-campus, as well. The cloth wrapping over the detector box and Melissa's headband were made by Norma Haskett, a volunteer sewer in the community who has contributed her time and skills to a number of UVATT projects.

For more information on UVATT visit web.uvic.ca/uvatt.