Introduction: Cerebral Palsy Adaptive Controller
I made two separate controllers that make computer functions accessible to people with either Spastic Quadriplegia or Spastic Diplegia. The Spastic Diplegia add-on consists of a shifter controlled by the wrist or arm to access left, right, up, and down controls as well as a conductive pad that straps onto the other wrist to hit the space and click buttons. The Quadriplegia controller is a similar concept that instead straps onto the foot to access the left, right, up, and down controls. The space and click buttons remain the same except the conductive pad is extended to be controlled with the mouth instead.
Supplies
Diplegia Add on
Quadriplegia Add On
Step 1: Spastic Diplegia Add On- Trace and Cut Base
Trace a circle about 6" in diameter in the corner of your sheet of thick foam core. Use an X-Acto knife with a sharp blade to cut out your circle. When cutting it works best to cut around the same object you traced.
Step 2: Cutting the Pool Noodle
Cut two 4" chunks off of your pool noodle. After you have two pieces of foam slit each piece vertically down the middle. Cut as much out of each piece as you need so that when the pieces are put together they will comfortably fit around the arm of the person in mind still allowing room for the arm to slip in and out.
Step 3: Putting the Arm Piece Together
Use an object similar in size to the arm of the person who will be using the controller to wrap the two pool noodles around. Make sure the edges of the foam meet on all sides, then tape around the outside of the foam to connect the two pieces. Then remove the foam from the object and tape the inside to reinforce.
Step 4: Connecting the Arm Piece and Base
Cut a 10" long piece of 1" diameter PVC pipe. Hot Glue your PVC pipe in the center of the foam core base. Once that has dried use the same duck tape from the previous step to wrap around the pipe and connect to the arm piece
Step 5: Attaching the Foam Ball
Take the firm foam ball and saw it in half (complete this step twice). Take one half of the foam ball and hot glue it on the bottom of the base making sure it is center. Once the foam ball is attached wrap a piece of conductive tape around the outside of the base.
Step 6: Creating and Securing the Controls
Take a piece of wire folded in half and then fold it again leaving about an inch at the bottom going vertically and a centimeter going horizontally. Cover that shape in tinfoil and repeat that step three more times. Once you have the four pieces make sure they are evenly spaced and attach them to the bottom of the base using hot glue. Secure the new additions by wrapping a copper wire around the entire base and each individual piece (This makes the base one conductive piece instead of four individual pieces). Lastly in each space between the pieces poke a hole
Step 7: Creating the Platform
First, trace and cut an 8"x9" rectangle of thick foam core. Then, wrap tinfoil around a 4" piece of copper wire creating a 1.5"x3" rectangle of tinfoil with an inch of copper wire sticking out for the alligator clip to clasp onto; repeat this step three more times. Hot glue all four rectangles in the center of each side of the rectangle making sure all wire is on the outside and facing the same direction.
Step 8: Reinforcements
Use duck tape all the way around all four corners then poke holes in each corner without going all the way through the foam core. Hot glue a screw in each hole with about a centimeter of space sticking out. (As the photos show I found out the duck tape reinforcements were necessary after I had attached the screws, so use duck tape before the holes.)
Step 9: Connecting the Base and the Platform
Hot glue the 3d printed disk in the very center of the platform. Tie a cut rubber band around each of the four screws in your platform. Tie the other end of the rubber band to another nail. Now hot glue the second nail into your previously made holes on the base. Lastly, place a piece of velcro along the left 8" side and then this section of the controller is finished.
Step 10: Making the Hand Piece
Cut a 2"x3" piece of thin foam core. Wrap the foam core in tinfoil. Place a rubber band around the longer side of the foam core.
Step 11: Space and Click
Cut a 5"x9" rectangle out of thick foam core. Cut the remaining foam ball in half and wrap both halves entirely in copper tape. Hot glue both halves on the rectangle and wrap the bottom of each half in copper wire. Lastly, hot glue a piece of velcro along the right 8" side of the buttons so it can connect to the other piece.
Step 12: Quadriplegia Add On- Creating the Platform
Measure and cut an 8"x9" piece of thick foam core. Then take a 6" piece of copper wire fold it in half, twist the end and fold the untwisted top to one side. Take your twisted wires and attach one to each foam core side with the loop facing out. Hot glue the 3d printed ring into the center of the platform (The design still works if you do not have access to a 3d printer).
Step 13: Creating the Base
First cut a 6"x6" square out of a piece of thin foam core and cut a square out of each corner. Use either a large rubber band or cut and tie two rubber bands and wrap around the square horizontally. Fold a piece of copper tape around each side of the foam core. Then use your hot glue gun to randomly place hot glue dots for grip.
Step 14: Making It Move
Cut another 6"x6" square out of thin foam core and hot glue it to the bottom of the previous step making sure all the sides align (I used a different dimension rectangle in my prototype but this should be better). Now use the 2" foam half sphere, and glue it in the center of the bottom side of the foam core.
Step 15: Making It Conductive
First, take four zip ties and zip them until you have about a 1" loop at the end, cut the loops off. Hot glue each zip tie loop into a corner of the base, making sure there is still room to wrap things through them. Then, take a long piece of copper wire and wrap it all the way around the base, looping the wire around each side of the copper tape.
Step 16: Attaching the Base and Platorm
Poke a hole into each corner of the platform without going all the way through, then hot glue a 1" screw into each of the holes. Then tie a cut rubber band around both the nail and a zip tie loop on the base, repeat this on all four corners.
Step 17: Making the Mouth Piece
Cut a 2"x3" rectangle of thin foam core and wrap it in tinfoil. Then hot glue your wooden chopstick in the center of that rectangle. Lastly, wrap the chopstick in duck tape.
Step 18: Space and Click
If you followed the Diplegia tutorial as well no need to repeat this step. Cut a 5"x9" rectangle out of thick foam core. Cut the remaining foam ball in half and wrap both halves entirely in copper tape. Hot glue both halves on the rectangle and wrap the bottom of each half in copper wire.
Step 19: Final Step
