[senit] Switching on a Computer

Hi Folks

Hi there Allan
Had a similar problem a couple of years ago. Apart from the obvious (but 
quite frankly not that helpful*) suggestion of timed wakeup and then 
utilising Wake-On-Lan (via SMS or whatever else see: 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wake-on-LAN#Wake-on-LAN_programs>) My 
suggestion is a generic "Shutter release cable". Pop down to Jessops and 
pick yourself up one of these - should be fairly cheap. Something like 
the following is what you are looking for: 
<http://www.fotodiox.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=870&osCsid=08ceafe2ee23ab9da12c1ece4d0d686d> 

Attaching it to the power-on switch can be fun - particularly to stop it 
from moving at the head. My advice here is to mount the head in a 
L-shaped piece of wood which you can place underneath the PC to stop it 
from moving - this way you wont have to permanently attach the cable.. 
If you want it a tad more permanent - don't glue it. Instead, remove the 
switch (actually fairly easy) and create a thread in the switch. If its 
soft-ish plastic or thin-grade aluminium you may well be able to do this 
simply by drilling a small hole and creating the thread by turning the 
head of the cable into it.

Hope that helps!

Will

*It can of course be the best approach - the client I was working with 
however slept v.close to his computer and had very irregular sleeping 
patterns - a PC waking him up didn't particularly amuse him!

Allan Wilson wrote:
> Hi Folks
>
> This query is slightly off topic as it relates to an adult, but I'm 
> hoping someone will have an answer!
>
> I'm struggling with a query regarding computer access for a man with 
> cerebral palsy who has to rely on a carer to switch on his computer. 
> The sensible answer might be training for the carer, or for him to get 
> a new carer, but in order to increase independence he rightly wants to 
> be able to switch it on by himself. There are hundreds of 'solutions' 
> for making a computer 'more accessible' to use, but hardly anything 
> addresses one of the most basic question relating to computer access - 
> "how do you switch the thing on?"!
>
> Have I missed something obvious? Does anybody know of something?
>
> There are the various "Power Link" type devices, but I don't think 
> they would work. There are expensive environmental control systems, 
> which would work, but would be totally over the top for this person's 
> needs. I'm sure that somebody with good electronic skills could 
> replace the computer switch with something based on a jelly bean 
> switch (or something similar), but this would invalidate the warranty 
> and there could be Health and Safety issues!
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Allan Wilson
> Information Officer
> CALL Centre (Communication Aids for Language and Learning)
> Paterson's Land, Holyrood Road
> Edinburgh EH8 8AQ
>
> Tel: 0131 651 6068
> Fax: 0131 651 6234
>
> allan.wilson at ed.ac.uk
> http://www.callcentrescotland.org.uk
>
>

-- 

Will Wade
Oxford Brookes University
School of Health & Social Care
Marston Campus
Jack Straws Lane
Oxford OX3 0FL
tel:      01865-482712
email:    willwade at brookes.ac.uk 