Need
There is a need for a device to encourage upright head position for people using wheelchairs who have difficulty maintaining head position due to an imbalance of muscle tone in the neck or related problems, especially those who also have visual impairments and lack motivation to hold their heads upright; in particular, this device would target people older than two years of age who have disabilities that affect neck movement, e.g. cerebral palsy.
Scope
This device will provide biofeedback to promote upright head position in order to improve quality of life through increased comfort, the prevention of complications such as nerve compression, and an increased ability to communicate and interact with surroundings. The device should be usable in conjunction with many types of wheelchair headrests. Comfort, low weight, and safety should be prioritized. To accommodate a wide range of ages and abilities, it is important that the device can be adjusted for a variety of head sizes and positions. The target population is children who function at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels III, IV, and V, who are likely to have head drop.1,2 It should also be easy for a patient or caretaker to operate wirelessly in conjunction with the wheelchair during therapy sessions. In April, a working prototype will be delivered to the client Dr. Courtney Dunn, consisting of a monitor with a power source to detect head position, software that interprets data from the monitoring device and exports information to an accessible user interface, and a mechanical response to this data that helps the patient improve their head position. Circuit diagrams, drawings, component lists, software, and other documentation required to reproduce the device will also be provided.