| There's a simple keyboard-only
that is available free to download on the
ALS March of Faces web page called Virtual
Keyboard. Other programs with advanced enhancements
are SoftType® by Origin Instruments, WiVik®
by Prentke Romich Company, EZ Keys® by
Words+, Inc. and Gus! By Gus Communications,
Inc. See the software page for more details
on these solutions.
Text-to-Speech
Other enhancements include Voice Synthesizers
and Text-to-Speech. These are means of having
verbal communication through your computer.
text to speech ability that is free for
PALS to download, called SpeakEasy. This
program will convert typewritten text into
speech. Many of the on-screen keyboard programs
mentioned above also provide this Text-to-speech
ability.
Voice Synthesizers
Other programs such as Via Voice by IBM,
or Dragon Dictate by Dragon Systems, Inc.,
allow commands to be delivered verbally,
which is very useful when movement is limited
but coherent speech is available.
Switches
Trackballs of various kinds, touchpads and
touchbuttons like those you find on some
laptops are some hardware solutions to moving
the cursor about on your screen.
Cursors
HeadMouse by Origin Instruments is a setup
that allows you to move the cursor around
the screen with your head or any other body
part that gives you some range to work the
cursor. It is wireless and uses a reflective
dot, usually placed on the forehead that
is read by a laser mechanism, generally
mounted on top of the monitor. HeadMouse
can be used with any type of switch or dwell
cursor style software. HeadMaster is a MacIntosh
version of this hardware.
Words+ has RadarMouse, which is a software
program that makes the cursor act like a
radar, scanning your screen until you click
the application or key that you want to
activate. This requires a method to click.
There are many alternatives to your standard
clicking of the mouse. Words+ has a dynamic
Infrared/Sound/Touch (IST) Switch.
There are a myriad soft-touch switches
that can utilize all possible movements
of muscle, Sip/Puff, tongue switch, eyebrow
switches. All replace the mouse click for
the computer.
Hardware/software program called Cyberlink
/ BrainFingers. The Cyberlink Interface
is mind actuated control, using brainwaves
to dictate the movement of the cursor and
switching.
VisionKey by H.K. EyeCan Ltd. uses an eye
tracking device mounted on glasses to follow
the movement of one's eye in order to use
regular computer applications such as word
processing and the Internet, as well as
a speech synthesizer.
For more information:
Origin Instruments Corporation
Tel (972) 606-8740
Fax (972) 606-8741
Prentke Romich Company
Fax (330) 263-4829
Words+ Inc.
Tel (805) 266-8500
Fax (805) 266-8969
Gus Communications Inc.
Tel (360) 715-8580
Fax (360) 715-9633
Les Turner ALS Foundation (SpeakEasy)
Tel (847) 679-3311
Mayer-Johnson Co.
Tel (619) 550-0084
Fax (619) 550-0449
CyberLink Systems
Tel (937) 767-2674
H.K. EyeCan Ltd.
Tel 1 (800) 356-3362
Fax (613) 596-4300
KeyWi2 with Phone Interface
Powerful communication and telecommunication
software for
the speech and/or mobility impaired.
Tel 412-761-6062
Fax 412-761-7336
Email: CCT@ConCommTech.com
http://www.concommtech.com/catalog.htm |
