Assistive device gives electronics-users a helping hand
While most of us use smartphones, tablets or computers with relative ease, doing so can be very difficult for people with upper-body mobility issues. It was with this in mind that Toronto's Komodo OpenLab originally introduced the Tecla. Now, the company has introduced its new-and-improved Tecla-e, which lets users control up to eight smart devices at once.
Tecla-e gets connected to third-party assistive devices such as wheelchair driving controls, proximity switches or sip-and-puff switches, which allow users to input commands – it also has its own built-in light-touch button control. Those command signals are transmitted by Bluetooth to iOS or Android mobile devices, or to a computer, performing a variety of functions such as typing, selecting and scrolling.
Additionally (and unlike the original Tecla), the cloud-connected Tecla-e can be used to remotely control devices that are part of the Internet of Things. These could include things like TVs, lights, large household appliances, or powered doors.
If desired, onboard sensors can allow other people (such as family members) to track users' whereabouts, along with their activity level and the ambient temperature at that location. One charge of its battery should be good for a claimed 48 hours of continuous use.
The Tecla-e should be available for preorder soon, with delivery expected for this July. Its preorder price will be US$399, which will rise to $499 after the preorder period.
