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Products & Services - Equipment
Communication Devices

It is not the intention of the Miami ALS Clinic and Research Center to promote the sale of equipment. We would like to provide information regarding different companies and their equipment.

When the patient loses the ability to communicate, various sophisticated communication devices can be used. This section provides information on communication devices or on the companies who manufacture many types of devices. Communication devices can be either: Electronic and Non-Electronic. For links to information on other devices. Click Helpful Devices.


RECOMMENDATIONS:

Before you call any company, check your local main library to see if they have communication devices. One library here in Miami, has communication devices is:

    Broward Main Library
    Location: Broward Blvd/Andrews Ave
    Phone: (954) 357-7485
    NOTE: They do a presentation of different devices every Wednesday.
Before you buy one of the more expensive Voice Activated Panic Button devices, you may want to try a baby monitor.

Electronic Communication Devices by Product/Company

The provides either information on :

Devices:
Anir Erogomic Mouse
CHIPSpeaking - Free
CrespeakerŽ
DynaVox
E-triloquist (formerly Speak Easy)
Eyegaze
E Z Keys
Freedom 2000
Freedom 2000 LITE
Gus! Easy Talk for Windows!
"Handi" Products
HeadMouseŽ
Head Mouse
MessageMate Line
Multimedia Max
Pegasus LITE
Radar Mouse-Crosshair Mouse
Talking Screen
Vision Key
Voice Amplificaider

Companies:
AnimaX International ASA
Circuit City
CompUSA
Crestwood Company
Egg Head
Enabling Devices - A division of Toys for Special Children
Gus Communications, Inc
H.K. Eyecan, Ltd
LC Technologies, Inc
The Learning Company
Origin Instruments
Prenkle Romicch
Sammons Preston
Sentient Systems Technology
Toby Church Ltd.
Windows Microsystem Software
Words +


Product: Anir Erogonomic Mouse

This erogonomic mouse can possibly be used by ALS patients with declining hand and wrist function. It differs from an traditional mouse (laying your hand flat on it) by being modeled after a joy stick configuration.
Product: CHIPSPeaking - Conversational Help for Individuals with Problems Speaking

CHIPSpeakingT is a software product that is FREE for anyone, so long as no commercial purpose is served and no fee is charged for it's use. The program starts out with a gray text entry screen. This will change it's color once you have opened the File/Open dialog. Then you pick a persona (character file). Once you have done this, you can see the white text entry screen. Just type, and when you hit the ENTER or RETURN key, it will process your words into speech and the character's lips will move and animate it's expression.


Product: Head Mouse

The head mouse is a device that translates the movements of a user's head into directly proportional movements of the computer mouse pointer. It replaces the standard desktop computer mouse, for people who can not use their hands.
    Prenkle Romicch Company
    URL: http://www.prentom.com

    • For general information and literature requests:
      Phone:(800) 262-1984
      EMAIL: info@prentrom.com

    • For Regional Consultants:
      Phone:(800) 848-8008

Product: Gus! Easy Talk for Windows

Gus! Easy Talk for Windows is designed for people with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), Stroke or Cancer who have lost their speech, but maintain their cognitive skills and the ability to use a mouse or other pointing device. With a clean, intelligent interface, Gus! Easy Talk for Windows will make it much easier and faster to converse with friends and family using the included speech synthesizer (male and female). Included with the Gus! Multimedia Speech System for Windows at no additional cost. This product is free, but the required Multimedia Speech System costs over $800, free 15 day free trail.

The Gus! Multimedia Speech System is a software program that converts any windows compatible computer into a dynamic display communication system. The user selects the symbol(s) that represent the word that is to be spoken. The software will then peak the word/phrase using either recorded speech (digitized) or synthetic speech (text to speech).

For obtain the Gus! Multimedia Speech System software with Gus! Easy Talk for Windows, contact:
http://www.gusinc.com/Gus_prod.html
For other products: http://www.gusinc.com/index.html


Product: E-triloquist (formerly Speak Easy)

E-triloquist is a free personal computer program that may be downloaded from the Internet. Formerly named SpeakEasy, it has been available on the Internet since early 1995. The newest release, Version 5, contains 20 enhancements over the prior version, many of which have been requested by users. Briefly, E-triloquist:

  • Handles text phrases, which can be keyed and then spoken immediately or stored and later retrieved and spoken.
  • In addition, incorporates audio phrases, which may be pre-recorded speech, musical renditions, or just plain noise to get attention.
  • Allows stored phrases to be organized by categories.
  • Provides facilities for adding, deleting, modifying and saving categories and phrases.
  • Includes the Microsoft text to speech program, with both male and female voices.
  • Supports any text to speech program conforming to the Microsoft Speech Application Program Interface (SAPI).
  • Enables control of the speed and pitch of the voice.

Information and instructions for downloading are at www.etriloquist.com.


Product: Multimedia Max

A voice activated IBM compatible multimedia computer designed specifically to assist physically challenged individuals in controlling their environment. It incorporates the following features: voice control of lights, electrical appliances, door opener, thermostat, and speech-to-text dictation in the Microsoft Windows.

Product: Vision Key

A keyboard operated by eye movements. Vision Key is especially useful for someone who has difficulties using a manual keyboard.

Product: Eyegaze Computer System

The Eyegaze Computer System is a direct-select vision-controlled computer system. Simply by looking at control keys displayed on a computer monitor screen, the user can perform a broad variety of functions including speech synthesis, environmental control (controlling lights, appliances, televisions, etc.), playing games, typing, operating a telephone, and running DOS-compatible software, such as word processors and spread sheets.

Company: Words +, Inc.

Words +, Inc. manufactures electronic devices and computer software that let people communicate, access computers, and control their environment.

Company: Crestwood Company

Crestwood Company manufactures Communication Aids for Children and Adults.

Company: Enabling Devices

Enabling Devices has LifeBreath switches that a person breathes into, to activate an external device.

    Phone: (800) 832-8697

 Company: The Learning Company

The Learning Company manufactures Communication Aids.

    For information on The Learning Company (formerly Windows Microsystem Software, Inc.) products, such as:

    • HandiKEY - is an on-screen keyboard for typing into a large-print editing window, accompanied by digitized and synthesized speech.
    • HandiSHIFT - Notes "sticky" key utility for DOS/Windows. Allows serial depression of Control-Shift-Alt keys. Adjusts key repeat rate.
    • HandiWORD - is word-prediction software that learns the user's word usage and includes abbreviation expansion.

    Phone: (800) 828-2600
    EMAIL: info@learningco.com or Bill Kilroy

Company: Sammons Preston.

Sammons Peston has personnal pages, portable allarms and EZ call Universal/Quadraplegic Nurse call Switch.

Company: DynaVox Systems Inc. (formerly Sentient Systems Technology, Inc.

DynaVox Systems Inc. manufactures augmentative communication devices.


Company: Toby Church Ltd.

Toby Church Ltd. - Leading European Manufacturer of communication aids..

    For information on Toby Church Ltd. products, such as:

    • Light Writers

    Head Office
    20 panton Street
    cambridge, CB2 1HP
    England
    Tel: 01223-576117
    FAX: 01223=576118

Non-Electronic Devices

A wide range of non-electronic communciation aids includes communciation boards, eye-glaze boards, pre-printed communication symbols, etc. Pointing and typing aids include the following: headsticks, mouthsticks, and handsplints.
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