Access-H20: Sensor Driven Smart Faucet to Enable and Empower Independent Drinking and Grooming for Individuals Impacted by Spinal Cord Injury

Nearly 300,000 individuals are living with spinal cord injuries (SCI), and over 12,000 new SCI occur annually in the United States. Most SCIs involve the cervical (neck) region of the spine and cause partial or complete loss of movement of both arms, both legs, and the torso (quadriplegia). Individuals with a higher-level and more complete SCI typically have greater loss of functional movement and sensation below the level of the injury. They require greater levels of assistance for self-care and mobility. Currently, there are limited options for quadriplegics to access water to perform basic activities of daily living such as drinking. Additionally, hydration packs and straws create unsanitary conditions and can be difficult to use. The aim of the project is to develop an innovative fountain faucet to enable individuals living with SCI to access water more independently for basic activities of daily living. The faucet incorporates electromechanical controls and software programs that adjust spray outlets, spray angles, and water temperatures. A proximity sensor and voice recognition function allow users to control the faucet through a smart speaker.

The Access-H2O™ faucet was built on a robust software platform, designed to integrate seamlessly with three sensor controls-eye gaze, motion, and voice control-accommodating diverse user needs (Figure 3). It features three distinct modes: fountain mode, which provides an upward fountain flow for drinking; washing mode, which delivers a traditional downward flow for handwashing and other cleaning tasks; and grooming mode, which utilizes a spray pattern for rinsing the face.

For motion control, time-of-flight sensors enable users to activate washing mode by waving or placing a hand near the proximity-based motion sensor, and then switch to fountain mode by waving again. Additionally, these sensors allow users to adjust water temperature. The software translates sensor data into actions based on three defined detection zones-hot, warm, and cold-determined by the proximity of the user's hand to the faucet. During setup, users can configure these distances to map specific ranges for hot, warm, or cold water. For example, placing a hand closest to the sensor activates hot water, while the farthest position activates cold water.

For eye gaze control, the faucet was integrated with Tobii eye-tracking technology, combining both hardware and software. To maintain a compact design without making the faucet excessively wide, we engineered a removable escutcheon to house the eye-tracking sensors. This removable feature ensured versatility, allowing the smart faucet to be installed in both 1-hole and 3-hole sink configurations. The system enables users to activate and deactivate water flow by staring at specific sensor locations for a set duration. The sensor locations are corresponded to three faucet modes. A user can stare at the right sensor to activate the fountain mode for fountain flow for drinking, the center sensor for washing mode, and the left sensor for grooming mode. The selected mode remains active until the user looks at the same sensor again to turn it off. To prevent accidental activations, the software measures fixation duration and incorporates error-handling protocols to account for distractions or environmental factors.

For voice control, users can activate three faucet modes through spoken commands.