Towards E-textiles in augmentative and alternative communication – user scenarios developed by speech and language therapists

Figures & data

Table 1. Examples of e-textiles.

E-textile (Commercial name)	Image	Material	Surface resistivity
Pure Copper Polyester Taffeta Fabric		Copper 35%, polyester	0.05 Ohm/sq
Stretch Conductive Fabric		Silver coated, knitted, 76% nylon and 24% elastane,	< 1 Ohm/sq (unstretched)
Shieldit Super Fabric		Nickel/copper plated, polyester	< 0.07 Ohm/sq

Table 2. User scenarios for textile-based AAC.

SCENARIO	1 - “Dinner time discussion”	2 - “Mom, come here”	3 - “Rock’n’roll lover”	4 - “Freezing outside”	5 - “I want cheese”	6 - “Ironman on a swing”
For whom was the scenario created?	A pre-school-aged, non-speaking child with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair.	A 5-year-old child with cerebral palsy who uses a wheelchair and has decreased voluntary movement.	A nonspeaking schoolboy who loves rock’n’roll and finds a mobile device very difficult to use due to motor challenges.	Pre-school aged child with an intellectual disability (mild or moderate) who is active and mobile.	A nonverbal 5 − 6 -year-old child with Down syndrome, who is learning signs.	An energetic 4-year-old boy with a severe speaking disability and finger anomalies who uses approximate signs.
What is the context of use?	The child is at home having dinner.	He is at home watching a show. He wants to talk to his mother, who is in a different room.	He is playing an air guitar for fun.	The child is outside feeling cold.	The child is at home having dinner and wants cheese but accidently signs “bread”.	He is outside and wants to get on a swing, but someone is already using it.
What is the present barrier?	The child’s motor abilities prevent him/her from using existing technology.	His motor abilities prevent them from using existing technology.	His motivation for using existing AAC technology is low.	The current AAC system is unavailable, far away or not with them.	The current AAC methods are hard to use.	The current AAC system is unavailable, far away or not with him.
What kind of e-textile technology would be used?	The technology is embedded in four textile patches on the wheelchair table tray.	The child has removable e-textile patches attached to clothing or a chair with Velcro.	A wide textile belt is divided into two parts: each hand has an instrument.	The technology is embedded in an illuminating vest.	The child and his/her parents are wearing e-gloves. The child also has an e-sleeve.	He is wearing e-gloves and a vest with an “Ironman” speaker in it.
Why is the technology used?	The child answers their mothers’ questions by saying “yes”, “no”, “more,” or “help”.	The child wants to alert mother to come.	The child plays the air guitar. The skill can later be used to motivate him to initiate communication.	To ask for help and tell others that he/she is cold.	The child learns to use the correct signs to get what he/she wants.	He tells his friend “It’s my turn” to get on the swing.
How is the technology used?	The child flails or slaps the textiles, activating the output from a smartphone.	The child touches the patches, and the mother gets the message of “mom, come here!” from a speaker embedded in a wristband or an earring.	He scratches, touches, and moves the hand on the belt by imitating the movements made when playing an air guitar through the belt chords.	The child presses the vest. The speech could come directly from a speaker. Alternatively, the message could be directed to a supervisor outside.	The technology detects the finger squeezing and the stroking and direction of the sign, creating a hologram of the sign.	He signs “my turn,” the system recognises approximate signs and activates the pre-programmed utterance spoken through the speakers.
What happens?	A typical conversation commences during dinnertime.	Mother hears the message through the speaker and comes.	Entertainment for the boy and independent access to the fun.	The child gets help.	Parents help the child to sign correctly. The motor execution of the sign is learned.	His friend, who does not understand signs, understands the message.

Figure 1. Scenarios where touch was used to activate the technology a) “dinner time discussion” b) “mom, come here” c) “rock’n’roll lover” d) “freezing outside”.

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Image a: A girl sitting in a wheelchair with four textile patches to touch on the tray table. Speech bubbles from the reader attached to the left handlebar say yes, no, more, help. Image b: An armchair with dedicated spots to indicate technology’s location. Arrows point to the spots with text that reads touch to activate. Next to the armchair text reads elsewhere. A speech bubble from an earring says mom, come here! Image c: A happy boy taps the right side of a wearable belt to produce drum sounds. Image d: A boy in his winter clothing. Thought bubble says I’m cold. An arrow points to a dedicated spot in his vest. Text reads touch to activate. Near it the text reads elsewhere. The mobile phone screen reads Max is cold.

Figure 2. Scenarios where movement was used to activate the technology a) “I want cheese b) “ironman on a swing”.

Image a: A boy signing the word bread. The thought bubble reads I want cheese. A hologram of bread appears, and the boy realizes the mistake. A thought bubble reads no! I don’t want bread! Image b. A boy standing in front of a swing. He signs the word turn. The sign activates the speaker in the middle of his shirt and the speech bubble reads: It’s my turn!.