New Device invented by parent of Autistic child
Posted by Katilea - 07/31/09, 07:28 amInformation copied from website http://www.proxtalker.com/information.html
About Us and why we Invented the Logan ProxTalker
The Logan ProxTalker was inspired by Logan, a young autistic boy who cannot yet talk. Logan’s father, Glen Dobbs and his engineering colleague, Kevin Miller, invented the ProxTalker to help Logan and other people who cannot talk but can use picture exchange to communicate. The ProxTalker is very easy to use; simply place the Sound Tags on the buttons and push them. The picture Sound Tags signal the electronics to speak the picture-words assembled on the device.
Logan figured it out in less than a minute. The first time Logan got to try the ProxTalker he was very happy about it. He used it to request one of his favorite toys, a letter puzzle.
Watch how the Logan ProxTalker works> Frequently Asked Questions What is it?The Logan ProxTalker™ is an assistive technology voice output device designed specifically to address the needs of PECS users who are not yet ready for a dynamic screen device but have exceeded the capabilities of a fixed position voice output device. The fundamental difference between fixed position devices and the Logan ProxTalker is the fact that the Sound Tags can be moved as desired and there is no need to change ‘levels’ or cards in order to change words. The ease of use and versatility provides a major benefit to the user in terms of practical voice output using symbols with a reduced dependence on others. The Logan ProxTalker has no menus so users who struggle with menu-driven systems will find it easy to use. There is no complicated programming required so using the ProxTalker easier for the support team as well.
What is included?The standard product includes the five-zone voice output unit, standard binder with shoulder strap, and 100 Sound Tags, including pre-programmed pre-printed standard tags, blank tags and special function tags. The binder holds up to 200 Sound Tags. Pages can be added for more capacity. The blank tags can be programmed using the special function tags right on the device with custom words or phrases that might not be available. The special function tags include: record, reset, volume up, volume down, and battery level check.
How it is used?The Logan ProxTalker is used almost exactly like a PECS book but instead of removing and ‘exchanging’ the sentence strip the user presses the Sound Tags and the device produces voice output. The Sound Tag forms a symbolic button when placed onto the word zone. When pressed there is tactile feedback to assist in motor planning and provide definite feedback for the user. The button will not activate when placing the Sound Tag onto the device without deliberately pressing it. This way and entire sentence or phrase can be assembled prior to actually executing the voice output activity. In addition to communication, the Logan ProxTalker can be used to teach grammatical sentence structure, discriminating objects and concepts, or sight reading training. Many other teaching applications are possible.
How does it work?While the Logan ProxTalker may look like a ‘low tech’ device it is actually quite sophisticated technologically. The Logan ProxTalker uses RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology similar to your fast pass that speeds you through the toll booth quickly. An RFID silicon chip component is embedded in each Sound Tag and programmed with an identifier specific to the word or phrase it represents. The ProxTalker’s circuit board has five on-board antennae to read the Sound Tags. When a sound tag is placed onto one of the ProxTalker’s five word zones and pressed the ProxTalker’s circuitry reads the sound tag and plays the word associated with the Sound Tag.
It is possible to press the tags faster than the sound can be played and the ProxTalker will ‘cue’ up the Sound Tags and play them in the sequence that they were pushed. There is also an onboard microphone for recording custom sounds using the special function tags. When necessary, an acces cover can be removed exposing the USB port and memory card. The memory card can be replaced or cloned, allowing units to be ‘cloned’ for distributing customized sounds or languages across several devices and the USB port can be used to download new data for factory upgrades, etc.
What powers the Logan ProxTalker?The Logan ProxTalker is powered by four standard ‘C’ size batteries which provide months of operation between battery changes. Rechargeable ‘C’ batteries can be used if desired.
