Alternative service delivery models for families with a new speech generating device: perspectives of parents and therapists

Purpose: Research has revealed limitations in the provision of in-person services to families with a new speech generating device (SGD), both in Australia and overseas. Alternative service models such as parent training, peer support and telepractice may offer a solution, but their use with this population has not been researched to date.

Method: Using interviews and focus groups, this study explored the experiences and opinions of 13 speech-language pathologists and seven parents regarding alternatives to in-person support and training for families with a new SGD. Data were analysed using grounded theory. Themes explored in this paper include the benefits and drawbacks of alternative service models as well as participants’ suggestions for the optimal implementation of these approaches.

Result: Participants confirmed the utility of alternative service models, particularly for rural/remote and underserviced clients. Benefits of these models included reduced travel time for families and therapists, as well as enhanced information access, support and advocacy for parents.

Conclusion: Participants viewed the provision of ongoing professional support to families as critical, regardless of service modality. Additional issues arising from this study include the need for development of organizational policies, resources and training infrastructure to support the implementation of these alternative service models.

Radio frequency energy harvesting from a feeding source in a passive deep brain stimulation device for murine preclinical research

This paper presents the development of an energy harvesting circuit for use with a head-mountable deep brain stimulation (DBS) device. It consists of a circular planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) and a Schottky diode-based Cockcroft-Walton 4-voltage rectifier. The PIFA has the volume of π × 10(2) × 1.5 mm(3), resonance frequency of 915 MHz, and bandwidth of 16 MHz (909-925 MHz) at a return loss of -10 dB. The rectifier offers maximum efficiency of 78% for the input power of -5 dBm at a 5 kΩ load resistance. The developed rectenna operates efficiently at 915 MHz for the input power within -15 dBm to +5 dBm. For operating a DBS device, the DC voltage of 2 V is recorded from the rectenna terminal at a distance of 55 cm away from a 26.77 dBm transmitter in free space. An in-vitro test of the DBS device is presented.