Home Catalogue Computer Access Options

The Universal Control for Powered Wheelchairs

The wiseDX was developed by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and the Institute of Child Health in London

What is the wiseDX?

The wiseDX is an electronic system that enables a person to drive an electric wheelchair with switches or a joystick or with other special controls. It will also give the user independent control over their environment and other assistive technology (including electronic communication devices), using the same switches or joystick. It has a built in infrared transmitter giving you access to hundreds of different devices.

The wiseDX has been developed over several years by Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and the Institute of Child Health in London and is suitable for both adults and children – anyone who uses a powered wheelchair with special controls.

There are two parts to the system – the wiseDX unit (the hardware) which is attached to the wheelchair, and wiseUP (the PC software) which is used to set up the system. Using wiseUP, you can configure the wiseDX exactly how you want, with an onscreen simulator, and then download the file to the wiseDX.

The system is very flexible and configurable to cope with the specific needs of a wide range of individuals. The configuration can be easily changed to meet the changing needs of the end user.

Drive a powered chair

The wiseDX caters for people who can use anything from a single switch to six switches, combination switches and switched joysticks. It also works with ordinary proportional joysticks or existing special controls (secondary controls) currently being used to drive a chair.

The display unit of the wiseDX has direction lights for sequencing and also a small bright display to provide the user with more information on the state of the system. The configuration programme lets you set up the wiseDX in virtually anyway you like. You can either create your own personal sequencing plan or use the step by step guide which gives you plenty of assistance. You can change the way you drive over time – perhaps to meet your changing physical abilities.

Operate your environment

Inside the display unit of the wiseDX is a ‘teachable’ infrared transmitter. This enables the user to access hundreds of infrared items (up to 240) – providing the user with control over televisions, CD players, door openers, LEGO! and much more – using the same switches or joystick that drive the powered chair.

The wiseDX configuration programme is used to set up how you access these devices. You can give each device a sensible name – which will appear in the display of the wiseDX.

Access an electronic communication device

In fact you can access more than a communication device! Under your control the wiseDX will ‘re-route’ the switches or joystick that you were using for driving through to any connected device. Typically this would be a communication device. It’s just like having your switches directly connected into your communication device. The configuration programme guides you through setting up connected devices. The wiseDX allows up to six devices to be directly connected.

Control a computer remotely

There are various ways of accessing a computer – mouse emulation, keyboard emulation and switch access to special software. The wiseDX will enable the user to drive up to a computer and independently use the switches or joystick to access the mouse, keyboard or special switch software – remotely – no unplugging switches and reconnecting them to the computer!

Configure to meet your needs

The wiseUP configuration software enables you to tailor the wiseDX to meet your needs and abilities – how you drive a powered chair, what other devices to operate, how to operate them, etc. It’s a very user friendly software package that runs on a PC computer. A ‘wdx’ file is generated that you download into the wiseDX. You can always add or modify the file and download it again as the need arises. In this way the system can change and grow at your pace.

The wiseUP software features an onscreen simulator enabling you to see how the system will behave, before downloading and trying it for real. Files can also be ‘uploaded’ from a wiseDX into the computer. Files can be sent to others via email where they can be viewed, modified, ‘mended’ and/or downloaded into another system!

Audio feedback

Associated with each direction on the scanner is a ‘bleep’ noise – a different one for each direction. It operates at a fixed, low volume and is designed for users who prefer to ‘listen to the directions’ being offered rather than looking at the scanner. It can be set up as enabled or disabled. It can also be set up to be enabled under user control.

You can also choose to assign a bleep noise to the other devices you are operating. There is more flexibility here. There are 24 different noises to choose from and you can decide which devices you are going to attach a bleep to. It maybe that you only want a bleep to occur when it sequences over a particular device or group of devices.

Hardware Components

The wiseDX itself consists of 2 separate units -a Display unit and a Main unit – connected together by a cable.

The Main unit holds the brains of the system. It’s where nearly all the connections are made – the user’s switches or joystick plug into this unit. Typically this unit would be mounted out of the way – perhaps on the back of the chair.
	The Display unit tells the user what’s going on. It has a number of rectangular lights arranged in a circular fashion. It also has a an alphanumeric display that displays what’s going on in words. Within this unit is a powerful ‘learnable’ infrared transmitter. This unit should be mounted where the user can see it – perhaps by the arm rest or on a tray.

wiseDX Downloads

• Visit the wiseDX downloads page for software demos, User Manuals and much more.

User Feedback

• Read the stories of successful users of the wiseDX

Comparison Chart

To see a Comparison Chart comparing the features of the powered mobility options available from Spectronics – ClickToGo vs Genie Joystick vs wiseDX:

Click here to download the chart in pdf format
Click here to view the chart online.

Specifications

• Dimensions (mm):
  • Main Unit 115 (W) 115 (H) 35 (D)
  
  
  • Display Unit 85 (W) 145 (H) 35 (D)


• DX Interface: DX-Key


• Infrared Control: GEWA PROGIII (built in)


• No. of user driving options: programmable + 20 pre-programmed


• Max No. of items under user control: 240 + driving