Thanks. I may have let out an audible gasp when I made it through the door. Was actually easy but I am quite green with the drive control.

Bringing this to fruition was the vision and challenge of Steve Gleason.

The Independence drive software and hardware (there is an interface connecting the Omni control of the Permobile to the wheelchair drive) is available through www.Evergreencircuits.com.

There are a number of funding options being pursued. The VA does fund it and here in MA, it has been submitted through Medicaid.

It works with Permobile (I was driving a 3M) and with Quantum and is currently optimized for the Tobii eye gaze bar. There are the same issues with sunlight that are encountered with eye gaze. My chair is setup so I can also toggle to joystick control.

We are crazy lucky that our dealer has become trained in this and could easily help me do the wheelchair programming.

I will organize more detailed info with help from the developers and post here as well as on our clinic facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ACPCHBoston/

John

John M. Costello

Director, Augmentative Communication Program and

ALS Augmentative Communication Program

Boston Children's Hospital

781.216.2220

781 216 2252 fax

www.childrenshospital.org/acp

www.childrenshospital.org/ALSaugcomm

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.org/acpchboston

TWITTER: ACP/ALS ACP

@costello_j

From: <xxxxxx@alsa.simplelists.com> on behalf of Amy Roman <xxxxxx@sbcglobal.net>
Reply-To: "xxxxxx@alsa.simplelists.com" <xxxxxx@alsa.simplelists.com>
Date: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at 2:02 PM
To: "xxxxxx@alsa.simplelists.com" <xxxxxx@alsa.simplelists.com>
Subject: Re: Independence drive -More info needed! [EXTERNAL]

Hi John,

I let out an audible cheer when you k-turned through the doorway! Please tell us how to pursue this option for pALS. What powerchairs can this be used with? What hardware is needed? Who makes the software?

Sincerely,

Amy Roman, MS, CCC-SLP
Augmentative Communication Specialist

Forbes Norris ALS Research and Treatment Center
& ALSA Golden West AAC Evaluation Center and Lending Library

1100 Van Ness Ave.
6th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94109

Cell (415)518-0592
Fax (415)375-4827

AmyandpALS.Com
Pinterest.com/AmyandpALS

On Wednesday, September 18, 2019, 10:48:02 AM PDT, Costello, John (Otolaryngology) <xxxxxx@childrens.harvard.edu> wrote:

Like any first-time driver, I was a bit unsure as this really WAS my first attempt but this was still quite easy, integrated into a Surface Pro.

The video is edited and sound cut out as this was filmed in a busy clinic and patient faces and voices were deleted.

While our ALS – AAC Program will not do any wheelchair/seating work, we will integrate this system with as many different AAC technologies as possible and make our patients aware of the strategy and local resources to further investigate/formally assess.

https://youtu.be/K0LB6X1SZSw

Cool stuff and major hope for our patients.