Michael - USA
(Written and edited by Michael using Neuroswitch G5 Liberator)
Michael Phillips was diagnosed with SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) when he was nine months-old, he never crawled or walked or moved much at all. SMA causes the brain to send weak signals to one's muscles, causing them to atrophy. Over time, Michael slowly lost the ability to sit up, move his arms, his hands, and eventually, the ability to breathe and eat without machines and tubes. Needless to say, computers and assistive technology have always been important a him.
In early 2007, Michael accidentally choked on some pineapple juice, though, drowned is really the more appropriate way of putting it. He stopped breathing, blacked out, his heart stopped, he died for a little bit, but it didn't stick. He woke up a few weeks later with a little plastic tube in his mouth, running down his throat, connected to a machine pushing air into his lungs. A few weeks later, a hole was cut in his throat allowing that little plastic tube to be placed permanently. Because of this little plastic tube, Michael lost the ability to speak, making computers and assistive technology more important than ever.
"ACCESS TO EVERYTHING" Michael Using NeuroSwitch G5 Liberator - and Editing this movie (2011)
For many years, before the machines and the tubes, Michael controlled a Mac with SwitchXS and a proximity switch that he tapped with his thumb. This worked great for a very long time, Michael was named an AppleMaster by Apple Computer, Inc, he gave assistive technology demoes at venues such as ATIA, Closing the Gap, and Macworld Expo. He even interviewed the late Steve Jobs for Inside Mac Games.com regarding games and the Mac. Unfortunately, due to an injury to his hand, using his thumb and a proximity switch was no longer a viable computer access option, enter Peter Shann Ford and NeuroSwitch.
"Shopping for Jewelery - and a Tattoo"
A movie by Michael using Neuroswitch G5 Liberator (2011)
A movie by Michael using Neuroswitch G5 Liberator (2011)
