Every person needs a voice to let the world know what they want. Every person needs a voice to be understood. Every person needs a voice to be heard. Unfortunately, not all are given a chance. In reality, mutism differs in many forms. According to Sacramento Daily Union, the number of the deaf and mutes in the world are roughly calculated to be from 700,000 to 900,000 and of these, 37% are said to be acquired mutism. This numbers may seem little but the risk at stake here are big as the persons with an acquired mutism are commonly lying in the beds of a hospital. This patient suffers a disorder called neurogenic mutism. This kind of mutism usually shows after tumor surgeries and stroke as a side effect of the treatment. Patients suffering from these condition were commonly has a difficulty in speaking or does not talk at all. The researcher aims to develop a means of communication for the patient and the caregiver. The study wants to make an assistive glove that will relay the message of the patient through hand gesture. Through the development of this project, the researcher believes that every hand gesture of the patient can be transformed into an audio output depending upon the needs of the temporary mute patient. It is believed that it could be of great help for the patient and one step advancement for modern medical communication using modern technology. The study is very significant as it could help the patient to relay her/ his message to someone that takes care of her/ him. Through the development of AGNUM, communication between the patient and the caregiver will be faster and easier. The study is significant because we can convert hand gesture into a definite message that could help the patient to relay her needs to the caregiver likewise it maximizes the use of technology for medical purposes. Lastly, it helps in the advancement of knowledge with the use of programming as well as a basis or reference for other future studies. This study is limited in making a hand glove that can generate sign language of a neurogenic mutism patient into an audio output. This study is limited in using an Arduino Nano as the microcontroller and the flex sensors for the movement of each finger. In making the device, the proponent will be guided by a licensed electronics engineer. The device will be applied to a neurogenic mutism patient that has only speech impairment but can move his/her hand fingers. Test measurement should be observed and recorded such that it measures the functionality of the gloves in terms of response time and audio clarity. The methods and steps in designing and making an assistive glove for neurogenic mutism can be summarized into 8 stages namely; gathering of materials, designing of schematic diagram, wiring, assembling, code programming, testing, data recording and making conclusion. For the project to be materialized, the researchers gathered materials such as 5 pieces flex sensor, capacitors, resistors, 5V Lipo battery, Arduino Nano, MP3 player, speaker, MPU 6050, glove, stepdown, regulator, acrylic casing, and jumper wires. Based on the data gathered, testing, and observations, the study concludes that AGNUM can be an effective means of the patient’s communication to his/her caregiver to attend to his/ her basic needs. The speech glove can use finger movement and transform it into an audio output. It is also concluded that patient can use the device and could help them to communicate faster in relaying what they want to say.
AGNUM: Assistive Gloves For Neurogenic Mutism
Short Description:
Communication is very important in order to understand each other. Every person needs a voice to be heard. Unfortunately, not all are given a chance. There are in born cases of mutism while others are acquired due to accidents or surgical operations. In reality, mutism differs in many forms. One of this is neurogenic mutism. This kind of mutism usually shows after tumor surgeries and stroke as a side effect of the treatment. Patients suffering from this condition commonly has a difficulty in speaking or does not talk at all. The project became possible by using 5 pieces flex sensor, 5V Lipo battery, Arduino Nano, MP3 player, speaker, MPU 6050, glove, stepdown, regulator, and jumper wires. A schematic diagram was designed for the project. Flex sensor were placed in every finger of the glove. The remaining components of the project were placed around the glove and were programmed according to the set parameters. AGNUM was tested according to the expected designed output needed by the patient. Data were gathered and analyzed for conclusion. Based on the data gathered, testing and observations, the study concludes that AGNUM can be an effective means of the patient’s communication to his/her caregiver to attend to his/her basic needs. The speech glove uses finger movements and transform it into an audio output. It is also concluded that patient can use the device to help them to communicate faster in relaying what they want.