Rest made easier with voice control

Situation

Diana, who is in her 70s, has Multiple Sclerosis and lives on her own. She has a support team and uses Siri voice commands confidently to independently control her home environment.

Diana uses a powered wheelchair and joystick controller for independent mobility. While limited movement in her right hand enables her to be independently mobile and use a computer, Diana’s use of her upper limbs is restricted. As a result, she is an active user of smart home technology which allows her to control her lighting, air conditioner, doorbell and TV. Using Siri voice commands, Diana can communicate via her phone and iPad and listen to eBooks.

Diana uses an electric bed for comfortable positioning during the night. The electric bed that Diana was using before she engaged Stretchy Tech was very old and needed significant maintenance. Additionally, Diana was finding it increasingly difficult to operate the bed controller to change the position of her bed after her support workers left for the evening.

Diana reached out to Stretchy Tech to look at options for a new electric bed. As part of this assessment, she wanted to explore alternative options for changing the position of her bed at night on her own.

Solution

Having worked with Diana previously, we were aware that she can use voice commands confidently to control her environment, and so voice control was considered the most appropriate access method for her bed. This option would provide reliable access regardless of her positioning or fatigue level.

Diana also had specific requirements for bed features to support her preferred positioning. Until recently, the options for voice-controlled bed adjustment have been limited and subject to safety concerns. In particular, there were concerns that inaccurate voice commands could unintentionally move the bed beyond a comfortable or biomechanically safe position.

With these considerations in mind, the occupational therapist (OT) explored suitable bed models alongside safe and effective control options. The YourVoice module was trialled for the first time as part of this process, and the OT engaged with the developer in Brisbane to discuss installation logistics and compatibility with Diana’s preferred bed models.

The new Alrick 2300S Tilt Series bed was recommended, to be paired with a YourVoice module to enable voice control of all features.

Outcome

Diana’s new electric bed was initially provided with a standard hand controller whilst awaiting installation of voice control. As with her previous bed, she experienced difficulty using the handset. This was temporarily addressed by raising the button profile with Blu-Tack and a fabric button.

During a joint appointment with Stretchy Tech and YourVoice, the voice control module was installed along with an Alexa smart speaker. The timing of each bed movement was refined through a trial process to ensure safe and functional positioning. The aim was for each voice command to activate a timed sequence of movement for the most commonly used functions, preventing the bed from moving beyond a comfortable range. A “stop bed” command was also implemented, allowing Diana to immediately halt any movement during a timed sequence.

Following initial setup, minor adjustments were made to the timings for optimal use.

Diana is now able to independently control all bed functions – head up/down, bed height up/down, foot up/down, and tilt up/down – using Alexa voice commands. This has enabled her to independently manage her bed positioning overnight and easily transition from a semi-reclined TV-watching position to a comfortable sleeping position.

Summary pointers for OTs, technicians, and the intended user (person with disability)

1. The technology described above has worked well for Diana, so we think it’s worth consideration by OTs, technicians, and people with disability in similar situations. 
2. YourVoice is currently compatible with many beds on the market, but not all. If considering adding voice control, first ensure product compatibility before recommending a particular bed model.