The AT team is able to design and make a range of custom equipment and this is often a key part of the effective use of electronic assistive technology. Clients often have extremely severe physical disabilities and need equipment that has been very specifically designed to meet their needs.
The team will design and manufacture a custom device where there is not a commercially available equivalent that would be appropriate.
Mechanical
The AT team includes a highly skilled mechanical engineer with access to a full workshop – this ensures that we are able to design and make highly custom mechanical devices. Examples of equipment might include:
- Switch mounting for a specific location
- Mounting systems for communication aids
- Modification of wheelchair controls
- Other customised mechanical solutions
Electronic
Our highly skilled electronics engineer is build custom electronic devices to interface with a range of technology – from toys to computers and complex electronic assistive technology. Examples of custom electronic equipment may include:
- Specialised switches (for example an eye-brow switch)
- Integration of various equipment (for example communication aids and computers)
- Switch interfaces for specific tasks (for example morse-code)
- Control of toys and other equipment
- Other custom electronic projects
Software and Programming
Assistive Technology devices can often be computer based and complex to setup and operate. The AT service is able to write or modify software and macros to help setup computer based systems. Examples of software customisations may include:
- Programming a communication aid for a particular vocabulary
- Customising an on-screen keyboard
- Making access to a computer as simple as possible
- Integration of a communication package with computer access
- Specialist interfacing or access software
- Any other customisation requiring a bit of skill with computers!