Comparing The Cyberlink Control System to the Manual Letter Board for Communication Purposes in the ALS Patient Population
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00718497 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : July 18, 2008
Last Update Posted : March 5, 2013
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New technologies are giving people with motor disabilities alternative communication and control channels. The investigators are interested in using the Cyberlink Control System as a hands free means to access a computer for people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The goal of this project is to determine whether this device is a practical and realistic means for ALS patients to communicate with only the use of facial muscle, brainwave, and eye movements.
The benefit of this study may be of substantial value to many people with severe motor impairment. Additionally, it is hoped that some of the study subjects may benefit by incorporating hands-free computer use into their daily lives.
This study is intended to evaluate the effectiveness of the cyberlink as a tool for daily communication compared to the standard manual letter board.
Condition or disease |
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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Neurodegenerative Disease Motor Neuron Disease |
Study Type : | Observational |
Actual Enrollment : | 25 participants |
Observational Model: | Case-Only |
Time Perspective: | Cross-Sectional |
Official Title: | Comparing The Cyberlink Control System to the Manual Letter Board for Communication Purposes in the ALS Patient Population |
Study Start Date : | August 2007 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | May 2012 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | May 2012 |

Group/Cohort |
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ALS
Subjects having either definite or probable ALS by El Escorial Criteria.
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- Time Taken to Complete a Sentence [ Time Frame: 1 session ]

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years to 89 Years (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Sampling Method: | Non-Probability Sample |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Diagnosis of definite or possible ALS by the El Escorial Criteria
- Between ages of 18 to 89 years.
- Scored two or less in the ALS FRS category 1 (Speech)
- Scored two or less in the ALS FRS category 4 (Handwriting)
- Cognitively intact with no other neurological diseases
- No unstable medical problems
Exclusion Criteria:
- Any subject not meeting the inclusion criteria
- Patients unable to give informed consent either themselves or via a legally authorized personnel.
- Patients diagnosed with neurological problems other than ALS (upon examination by the principal investigator)

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00718497
United States, Pennsylvania | |
MDA/ALS Center of Hope | |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19107 |
Principal Investigator: | Terry Heiman-Patterson, MD | MDA/ALS Center of Hope |
Responsible Party: | Drexel University College of Medicine |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00718497 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
Internal-17018 |
First Posted: | July 18, 2008 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | March 5, 2013 |
Last Verified: | March 2013 |
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurodegenerative Disease Motor Neuron Disease |
Autonomic Nervous System Neurodegenerative Diseases Movement Disorders |
Motor Neuron Disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Neurodegenerative Diseases Sclerosis Pathologic Processes Nervous System Diseases |
Neuromuscular Diseases Spinal Cord Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases TDP-43 Proteinopathies Proteostasis Deficiencies Metabolic Diseases |