Technology gives disabled new abilities

People with physical disabilities in Hong Kong can now further integrate into society using tech inventions specially developed for their benefit. Oasis Hu reports from Hong Kong.

Text messaging is universally used today, especially by millennials who embrace the use of technology. But it could be a difficult chore for some, like Sunny Cheung Sai-ho, who was born with severe cerebral palsy and is able to move only one of his fingers.

It used to take him half an hour to type just five letters on the computer. That's now in the past as he can do it in one minute with the aid of CP2Joy (cerebral palsy to joy) - the first human computer device developed for severely disabled people in Hong Kong.

Cheung, 39, had difficulty using the keyboard or the mouse due to his muscle atrophy and severe tremors. "His hands were shaking all the time, damaging keyboards as he tried to type," recalls Cheung's father.

For Cheung, many gadgets that are widely used to aid the disabled haven't been helpful either. His uncontrollable eyeball movements prevent him from using eye-tracking and gaze-interaction devices. Voice recognition software is also out of the question as he can make only a few monotones. Staring at the computer screen is irksome too.

CP2Joy - a system Cheung created with both software and hardware - is tailor-made for people with severe physical disabilities. Instead of the traditional keyboard and mouse, CP2Joy uses a joystick, which Cheung finds easy to control by using his palm instead of his fingers.

He drew inspiration for creating the device from his wheelchair, which is equipped with a lever to control and operate it. By sending out commands with single syllables that sound like "A, E, O", Cheung can trigger the shortcut preset to his computer via voice recognition software to control the computer. Although typing long paragraphs can still be a chore, he has managed to usher in a new world by connecting himself to a larger planet - the World Wide Web.

Before the advent of CP2Joy, Cheung had relied solely on his parents and his social worker to help him communicate with the outside world, including doing interviews and giving talks in public, as they were among only a few people who could understand him. Now, he has created his own mate that helps him to navigate the challenges in life.