O uso da visão computacional na comunicação de atletas de bocha paralímpica com paralisia cerebral

Abstract

Boccia (BO) is an important sport in the social life of its athletes who are people with severe physical disabilities in all four limbs. However, social interaction and communication are flawed in some people with cerebral palsy. In this sport, athletes with communication difficulties can produce a lower sporting performance during a game, because they are not able to convey their thoughts and needs clearly and objectively. When a communication device is used to overcome this difficulty, the quality of life, as well as autonomy and social relationships are improved. From the need to increase communication routes during a BO game, the use of a non-invasive computer system is proposed to establish communication, according to the most frequent phrases used by BO athletes. Evaluate the use of a computational system called PGCA by athletes with communication difficulties during game tasks, was the aim of this research. The study was divided into two phases and included the participation of 27 BO athletes. In Phase 1, 25 athletes participated, who responded to an online form, with the aim of investigating the frequency of use of 68 phrases used by them to communicate in a game. In Phase 2, five athletes participated, among which three also participated in Phase 1. Phase 2 was performed in person and dealt with the individual customization of the PGCA system, using the phrases found in Phase 1, in situations BO game simulations. Data show that the most frequent phrases for this sample of BO athletes are the greeting and farewell phrases, used in the three dialogue groups (referees, colleagues and opponents) and some discussion phrases related to the game. It is important to highlight that all the phrases used in this work (68), somehow, were already used by the investigated athletes. In Phase 2, the PGCA system was individually customized for each athlete and an image was generated for each gesture chosen by them, considering the speed of this gesture and the body segment used for its execution. In the final stage of the research, effectiveness had a median of 22% in the recognition of gestures produced by athletes and efficiency around 12.80s for the system to recognize gestures and pronounce the corresponding phrase. The PGCA system was designed for people who have communication difficulties, such as the sample from Phase 2. According to the results found in terms of usability, the PGCA system was considered a promising system to help BO athletes. Evidence indicates that it is possible to facilitate the communication of BO athletes during a game, offering a greater amount of phrases to be said by the athletes, in addition to the signs and codes already used. The results show that for athletes with greater motor impairment, a differentiation in the methodology is necessary, só that the system has a more effective recognition of the motor gesture. BO is an important sport and enabling such athletes to improve their communication means enabling concrete improvements in the athlete’s ability to win. The results indicate that the PGCA system has good usability for the study context, thus favoring the active participation with greater autonomy of the athletes and also providing new accessibility experiences.