CommPad: Developing a User-Centred Communication Pad for Cognitive and Physical Impaired People
Published in 8th EAI International Conference on Arts and Technology, Interactivity and Game Creation (ArtsIT 2019), LNICST Vol. 328, Springer, 2020
Abstract
Communication is a fundamental human need, yet for individuals with speech inhibition — particularly those with combined cognitive and physical impairments — even basic message-passing can be impossible with off-the-shelf tools. This paper presents a user-centred communication pad designed through iterative co-design with a resident at a neurological rehabilitation centre who has both physical and speech paralysis.
The communication pad is a tangible, touch-sensitive surface printed with the full alphabet and digits. Users interact with it by swiping a single finger across characters to spell words and sentences. The design process followed a participatory, iterative methodology deeply rooted in the specific needs and capabilities of the target user, moving away from generic assistive technology solutions.
User studies conducted at the neurological centre demonstrate that the pad enables effective and expressive communication for the resident, who previously had no reliable communication channel. The paper contributes both a validated assistive technology artefact and a methodological framework for co-designing communication tools with severely impaired users.
Key Contributions
- Novel user-centred communication interface designed with and for a physically and cognitively impaired resident
- Participatory co-design methodology applicable to other severely impaired user populations
- Empirical evaluation of usability and communicative effectiveness in a real clinical setting
- Tangible, low-barrier interaction paradigm (single-finger swipe) accessible despite severe motor impairment
Design Process
The development followed three iterative phases:
- Contextual Enquiry — observation and informal interviews at the neurological centre to understand communication barriers
- Co-Design Workshops — collaborative prototyping sessions with the resident, their carer, and occupational therapists
- Evaluation Cycles — iterative in-situ testing with feedback-driven refinement of the pad layout and interaction model
Venue
Presented at the 8th EAI International Conference: ArtsIT, Interactivity & Game Creation (ArtsIT 2019), Aalborg, Denmark, November 2019. Published in Springer LNICST Vol. 328, 2020.