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New technology aims to help people with brain injury become more independent Staff at Graham Anderson House and the University of Stirling are developing new computer technology to help people with acquired brain injury become more independent.

The new technology, called Guide, uses computer software to help people with brain injury carry out everyday activities such as making a cup of tea, making a snack, doing their laundry or setting a morning routine.

Sequences

‘These activities sound simple but actually involve complex sequences of thought and action,’ says Brian O’Neill, Consultant in Neuropsychology at Graham Anderson House.

‘People with acquired brain injury have impaired memory and executive function which makes this type of step-by-step planning much harder.

‘For example, before making a cup of tea we need to make sure we have what we need: a kettle, tea, cup, milk, sugar and spoon. We need to make sure there’s water in the kettle. We need to make sure there’s enough water. We need to make sure the kettle in plugged in and switched on.

He points out that unless sequences are followed in the right order it’s impossible to achieve a goal. For example, you might turn on the shower, find a towel and step into the shower, but unless you’ve checked you have soap and shampoo you won’t be able to get clean.

Speech recognition

The Guide technology works by prompting and reminding people about different steps in the process.

It asks questions (eg ‘Is the red light on the kettle on?’), uses speech recognition software to hear spoken responses (eg ‘No, it’s not) and then selects an appropriate response (eg ‘Is the kettle plugged in?’).

Guide is sophisticated enough to let people carry out sequences in a different order – enabling people to take several possible routes to their goal.

Funding

Using funding from the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health Directorates, researchers will now begin a trial to measure how the Guide system could help people become more independent. Specifically, it will be used to help people:

Brian O’Neill likens the support offered by the Guide system to the help that is given by a support worker. Both Guide and the support worker can help people achieve tasks for themselves – offering prompts along the way and responding to what the person does and says.

The Guide software was developed using the advice of people with acquired brain injury, therapists and support workers. To find out more email brain.oneill@thedtgroup.org or read a detailed technical article at http://www.psychology.stir.ac.uk/staff/agillespie/documents/ONeillMoranGillespie_Scaffoldingrehabilitationbehaviour.pdf

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