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 2007-04-10, 23:43 #1 jasong     "Jason Goatcher" Mar 2005 3·7·167 Posts Can technology help me with my handicap? I have a movement disorder that makes me very restless. I'm ok at the moment because it doesn't take a tremendous amount of concentration for me to write this. But with new skills that take a lot of brain power, the more concentration required, the worse my movement disorder gets. My parents can tell when I have a new idea in my head because I race around the house with just enough awareness not to bump into anything or anybody. I'm wondering if it is possible to get a handheld that has handwriting and voice recognition(I live in low tech Arkansas, so I'm ignorant of a lot of stuff) to help me with going to college.
 2007-04-11, 03:43 #2 Xyzzy     "Mike" Aug 2002 22×13×157 Posts Just curious here. What is the technical name for your disorder?
2007-04-11, 20:27   #3
jasong

"Jason Goatcher"
Mar 2005

3·7·167 Posts

Quote:
 Originally Posted by Xyzzy Just curious here. What is the technical name for your disorder?
It's never really been named, but since I'm in my own head, so to speak, I've been able to identify the triggers. Basically, whenever I anticipate something, whether it be a streetlight, a countdown on the microwave, reliving an action sequence in a movie like The Terminator, or imagining something like getting rich or gaining superpowers, it becomes very difficult to sit still. I'm not sure how it extends to learning a new skill(I might have more than one part of the brain subject to siezures), but that's basically it. I really hate going to the doctor, which might explain the lack of diagnosis or medication(I'm already on psychiatric meds) so I really don't know if it has a name.

I had a brain scan back in the 80s, which indicated I was "lit up like a Christmas tree," but since then it's just been meds, verbal communication, and a bit of bloodwork.

Edit: the meds are for paranoid schizophrenia, but I don't think that's connected to the seizures.

Last fiddled with by jasong on 2007-04-11 at 20:30

 2007-04-11, 22:36 #4 Uncwilly 6809 > 6502     """"""""""""""""""" Aug 2003 101×103 Posts 25·13·23 Posts I know it is not a handheld comp, but a digital voice recorder may be useful. Speak into it to capture thoughts and then use a voice recognition program to transfer to text. DVR's are the saviour of many a dyslexic. I have it, but not severe and got treatment/therapy before I started school. Sounds like you have a combo of borderline ADHD (attention deficit + hyperactivity disorder) and autism. The autism bit could trigger the HD part.
2007-04-11, 23:05   #5
jasong

"Jason Goatcher"
Mar 2005

3×7×167 Posts

Quote:
 Originally Posted by Uncwilly Sounds like you have a combo of borderline ADHD (attention deficit + hyperactivity disorder) and autism. The autism bit could trigger the HD part.
My mother claims that she's read that a large portion of paranoid schizophrenics are diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome which is a not really severe form of autism. I have a friend who also has paranoid schizophrenia who is, like me, decidedly odd though very intelligent.

2007-04-13, 02:34   #6
MooooMoo
Apprentice Crank

Mar 2006

2·227 Posts

Quote:
 Originally Posted by jasong My mother claims that she's read that a large portion of paranoid schizophrenics are diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome which is a not really severe form of autism. I have a friend who also has paranoid schizophrenia who is, like me, decidedly odd though very intelligent.
Speaking of autism, this post may appear off topic at first, but continue reading. You'll see

Pascal's triangle is a triangle that starts with 1. To get the next row, add the number directly above and to the left with the number directly above and to the right. This will give the new value, located in the middle. The first and last elements of each row are always 1, and the triangle starts out as:

Code:
            1
1 1
1 2 1
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
What other interesting things can you find about the numbers in the above triangle?

A while ago, I tried this experiment on other students in several math classes. Almost everyone said "The numbers in the middle are bigger than the numbers at the edges." Most of the guys getting A's and high B's in the class said that it was useful for finding the coefficients of binomial expansions. However, I did know 6 guys who had a mild or moderate case of autism. All but one of them said "The rows are powers of 11. Row 1 is 11^0, row 2 is 11^1, and so on. Row 5 is 11^4, but the pattern stops after that, which is why you probably cut off the triangle at that point."

Last fiddled with by MooooMoo on 2007-04-13 at 02:38

2007-04-14, 14:20   #7
Mini-Geek
Account Deleted

"Tim Sorbera"
Aug 2006
San Antonio, TX USA

10AB16 Posts

Quote:
 Originally Posted by MooooMoo However, I did know 6 guys who had a mild or moderate case of autism. All but one of them said "The rows are powers of 11. Row 1 is 11^0, row 2 is 11^1, and so on. Row 5 is 11^4, but the pattern stops after that, which is why you probably cut off the triangle at that point."
It only stops if you don't "carry over" the number (like you do when adding normal numbers). This works in any base number system.
Here it is in base 16 to 0x11^9
Code:
         1
1 1
1 2 1
1 3 3 1
1 4 6 4 1
1 5 A A 5 1
1 7 0 4 F 6 1
1 8 7 5 4 5 7 1
1 9 F C 9 9 C 8 1
1 B 9 C 6 3 6 4 9 1
It surprised me at first and I thought I was doing something wrong when I saw that 0x11^2 is 0x121, but it's correct.

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