[senit] Switching on a Computer

Hi Allan.

You haven't told us why he can't switch it on for himself, what is his  
particular physical disability.

I provided a solution to the same problem once. My client could not control  
her hand sufficiently to locate the small ON/OFF button, so I got a sheet of  
rigid plastic, something like the lid of a CD case, glued a small piece of  
plastic, "the lump",  to the middle and positioned the "lump" over the  switch, 
and then put selotape along the top of the plastic sheet, making a large  area 
switch that still activated a small button. Cost me nothing and only took a  
few minutes.

I like the idea of a bracket, you could use a pneumatic switch for the  
client, and a pneumatic actuator for the button, you can get the actuators from  
certain LEGO sets. No electrical problems.

If you really have to do an electrical modification, then find someone who  
knows and understands the electrical safety issues. I would be happy to  
undertake this sort of modification for you as this is my background.

I personally have taken to making my desk PC go into "Hibernate" rather  than 
switch it off fully, hold down SHIFT and the Standby option becomes  
Hibernate. The PC switches off really quickly, and you can turn the power off  without 
losing where you are or what you were doing. Switching back on is also  
quicker. This is under XP by the way. 

Best regards, 

Geoff Harbach  I.Eng  MIED  IIPEM  RegBHTA
LEPMIS.co.uk

In a message dated 15/03/2007 13:04:36 GMT Standard Time,  
allan.wilson at ed.ac.uk writes:

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

Long  Eaton Powered Mobility Integration Service 
Special Controls for Special People
Integrated  Systems for an Integrated Life Style
on the Web LEPMIS.co.uk e-mail Geoff at LEPMIS.co.uk

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