Software analyses problem children's handwriting
An
Adept Scientific product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Aug 29, 2003
In a study funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Littleton Meeks of Meeks Associates used a computer to analyse the handwriting of children with ADHD.
In a study funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Littleton Meeks of Meeks Associates used a computer to analyse the handwriting of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
These studies have looked at handwriting of children when they are unmedicated and medicated using Ritalin.
Meeks is hoping to develop a test instrument to diagnose ADHD, as well as evaluate the effects of Ritalin on handwriting - perhaps providing an algorithm to allow a proper dosage level to be set for an individual child.
Advances in computer technology have made it possible to record and analyse handwriting.
Meeks uses a Wacom digitiser interfaced to a personal computer to sample and record the position of the pen tip during the writing process.
The digitiser has a sampling rate of 205 points per second with a resolution of 0.01mm.
DADiSP data analysis software was used to analyse the recorded x and y position of the pen, calculate pen speed, and measure pauses in pen motion.
This system allows even small rapid handwriting to be recorded.
The Wacom system also has the advantage of recording the axial force of the pen or the pen pressure against the paper.
It is a well-known fact that many children with ADHD have difficulty writing neatly and legibly.
Furthermore, paediatricians and clinicians have noted that the handwriting of these children may improve markedly when they are medicated with Ritalin.
Because of this, Meeks decided to study the handwriting of children with ADHD when they are unmedicated and after they have received their prescribed medication.
The goal of Meeks Associates in doing this study is to develop a method of assessment of ADHD based on the accurate measurement of the children's handwriting.
According to Meeks: "With DADiSP we can investigate the process of handwriting in detail: how pen speed and pen pressure change with time and where pauses occur".
It is hoped that this experiment will provide an objective test for the diagnosis of ADHD.
The study may also be extended to evaluate the effect of Ritalin on handwriting and may be used in the future to verify the correct dosage of Ritalin used to properly medicate a child.
DADiSP is supplied and supported in the UK and Ireland by Adept Scientific.
Not what you're looking for? Search the site.
Contact Adept Scientific
Tel +44 1462 480055
Other Adept Scientific stories
-
DADiSP/Octave simplifies octave analysis
Adept Scientific has announced the addition of DADiSP/Octave from DSP Development Corporation to its range. -
Software eases DADiSP integration
By separating DADiSP functionality into a standard component, users can select their tools of choice to build their application. -
Data import module updated
Adept Scientific's DADiMP 5.0 extends DADiSP's importing capabilities, allowing users to import data files with sophisticated formats. -
Application imports WDQ files
DADiSP/Dataq File is a simple dialogue-based module designed to easily read and write WDQ data files created by Dataq data conversion hardware and software. -
Module allows Matlab importation
Adept Scientific has released a module for the DADiSP graphical data analysis application that allows Matlab files to be imported.
Browse by category
-
Capital Equipment (3,507)
- Capital Equipment (1)
- Compressors and Air Treatment (537)
- Electrical hardware (131)
- Electronics Manufacturing, Tools, Instruments (192)
- Machinery and Production Equipment (1,128)
- Manufacturing Machinery and Plant Equipment (474)
- Production line blowers and fans (73)
- Robotics, Handling and Storage (971)
- Consultancy and Services (920)
-
Control and Instrumentation (5,117)
- Cabling, Conduit, Signal Conditioning (814)
- CNC and Motion Controllers (189)
- Control and Instrumentation (2)
- HMIs/Operator Interfaces (296)
- Logic Controllers, Timers and Relays (96)
- Mid-range and Large PLCs (203)
- Plant- and Machine-Wide Communications (1,201)
- Plantwide control (1,350)
- Power Supplies, Uninterruptible Power (574)
- Smaller-Sized PLCs (392)
-
Drives, Motors and Controls (3,432)
- Drives, Motors and Controls (2)
- Industrial Drives/Controls (1,290)
- Industrial Motors (501)
- Linear Drives and Motors (120)
- Precision Motors and Gears (429)
- Stepper and Servo Drives, Motors, Controls (1,088)
-
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (4,296)
- Batteries, chargers and circuit protection (582)
- Connectors, Terminals, Busbars, Slip Rings (715)
- Electrical and Electronic Components (647)
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment Design (3)
- Electrical and Electronic Subassemblies (374)
- Enclosures and Equipment Cooling Fans (721)
- Knobs, Handles and Enclosure Hardware (430)
- PCs and Embedded Systems (824)
-
Engineering Design Software (6,348)
- 2D CAD software (203)
- 3D CAD software (1,187)
- CAM, CNC, production management software (581)
- Data, document management software (322)
- Electrical design software (166)
- Engineering Design Software (17)
- FEA and structural analysis software (376)
- File conversion software, data capture (358)
- Fluid, thermal, noise, vibration software (339)
- Materials design and moulding design software (152)
- Maths, charting, statistics, QA software (325)
- PLM and collaboration software (663)
- Process, instrumentation, automation software (269)
- Publishing and documentation software (234)
- Rendering, visualisation, styling software (206)
- Simulation, modelling, validation software (950)
-
Engineering Industry News, Resources (6,205)
- Electronic Resources for Engineers (278)
- Engineering Business News, Views (388)
- Engineering Conferences (438)
- Engineering Education, Resources, Standards (850)
- Engineering Exhibitions, Events (575)
- Engineering Guides, Newsletters (365)
- Engineering Industry Developments, Awards (636)
- Engineering Industry News, Resources (4)
- Engineering Industry Reports, Surveys (597)
- Engineering Recruitment, Employment (219)
- Engineering Seminars (415)
- Engineering Training Courses (457)
- Health and Safety Consultancy, Software (180)
- Health and Safety Events, Training, News (285)
- Health and Safety Legislation (403)
- Health and Safety Strategy, Risk Assessment (115)
- Machine Building (4,612)
-
Materials and Processing (3,025)
- Materials and components (2,263)
- Materials and Processing (5)
- Materials processing and testing (291)
- Rapid Prototyping (466)
-
Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (5,639)
- Data Acquisition Hardware and PC I/O Boards (488)
- Data acquisition Software and Communications (505)
- Data loggers (425)
- Electrical and Electronic Testing, PAT Equipment (642)
- Form/co-ordinate, optical, vision instruments (759)
- Gauges, Indicators and Instruments (448)
- Materials testing equipment (431)
- Monitoring, Measurement and Quality (1)
- Telecomms/network test equipment, software etc (158)
- Testing and Calibration Services and Information (518)
- Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment (1,264)
-
Powertrain Design (3,704)
- Bearings (977)
- Chains and belts (333)
- Gears, brakes, couplings and engines (1,474)
- Hydraulic Components (475)
- Lubricants (441)
- Powertrain Design (3)
-
Sensors (7,266)
- Accelerometers and Vibration Sensors (448)
- Barcode Sensors (103)
- Flowmeters and Flow Sensors (641)
- Gas, Chemical, Radiation, Magnetic Sensors (290)
- Humidity and Environmental Sensors (158)
- Level Sensors and Leak Detectors (537)
- Linear Position Sensors (413)
- Loadcells, Force Sensors, Torque Sensors (727)
- Pressure sensors (639)
- Proximity Sensors (712)
- Rotary Position, Tilt and Angular Sensors (560)
- Sensors (10)
- Temperature sensors (621)
- Vision and Colour Sensors (1,407)
- Small Mechanical Components, Joining, Tools (2,037)
- Valves, Pumps, Process Hardware (3,719)
