Development and preliminary evaluation of a grid design application for adults and children using scanning and bci-based augmentative and alternative communication

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) supports offer communication aids for individuals with severe speech and physical impairments. This study presents the development and proof of concept for an iPad application designed to evaluate the design preferences of both adults and children for AAC scanning and emerging P300-brain-computer interface access to AAC (BCI-AAC), both of which utilize item highlighting. Developed through a multidisciplinary and iterative process, the application incorporates customizable highlighting methods and display options for spelling-based and pictorial symbol interfaces. Initial testing involved five participants, including two adults with physical impairments and three children without physical impairments. Participants created unique interface displays using picture overlays, motion, and other highlighting methods. Feedback indicated strong usability and enjoyment during application use. Recommendations included expanded sound options and pre-made templates. This study demonstrates preliminary proof of concept for the application and supports the need for further research to explore user preferences and optimize communication outcomes across various AAC modalities. While BCI-AAC technology remains in its early stages, its integration into this application helps promote user-centered BCI-AAC development.

辅助与替代沟通（Augmentative and Alternative Communication, AAC）工具可为存在严重言语与肢体功能障碍的人群提供沟通辅助支持。本研究针对一款iPad应用展开开发与概念验证，该应用旨在评估成人与儿童对两种AAC交互方式的设计偏好：一是AAC扫描交互，二是新兴的P300脑机接口辅助AAC（BCI-AAC），二者均采用项目高亮机制。该应用通过多学科迭代流程开发，集成了可自定义的高亮方法与显示选项，适配基于拼写与图形符号的两类交互界面。初始测试共招募5名参与者，其中2名为存在肢体功能障碍的成人，3名为无肢体功能障碍的儿童。参与者可通过图片叠加、动态效果及其他高亮方式定制专属的交互界面。反馈结果显示，该应用在使用过程中具备出色的易用性，且获得了参与者的高度认可与喜爱。研究提出的优化建议包括拓展音效选项与提供预制模板。本研究验证了该应用的初步概念可行性，同时表明有必要开展进一步研究，以探索用户偏好并优化不同AAC交互模式下的沟通效果。尽管BCI-AAC技术仍处于早期发展阶段，但将其集成至本应用中，有助于推动以用户为中心的BCI-AAC技术开发。