AT-Assist Communicator Specification and Key Features:
Another core product in our range, Azura has been developed for people who cannot easily use tablets, smartphones or computers - Azura allows a disabled user to interact with their iOS (iPhone, iPad etc) and Android devices, computers, Smart Home systems, Amazon Alexa, Google Home via input switch devices such as our MBT-Assist, TOUCH-Assist, (face) CHEEK-Assist and generally available ability switches like Buddy buttons, Jelly bean and Sip and puff switches.
In the United States alone, over 7 million people have trouble using their voice - also over 3 million people stutter/stammer (Europe has twice the population of the US, so for these two territories the people having problems with some voice-tech is likely to be well over 20 million). These voice issues can make it very challenging for these people to fully utilise voice-enabled tech like Amazons Alexa and Google Home. For these disabled people, voice-enabled tech can provide some good levels of independence, as it is hands free, no tapping screens, or the pushing of buttons is required. MBT can detect and process breath from up to 12 inches away from the transducer. We developed MBT (breath), Touch-Assist (touch), Tap-Assist (tap) and Face Cheek-Assist for the above people struggling to use these very useful devices - both devices require no user speech at all to operate these Smart Speakers. MBT has many advantages over Sip and Puff devices as it senses/processes breath at some distance from the users mouth so hygiene is not such an issue also MBT costs a fraction of Sip and Puff devices. The picture shows Dual MBT sensor that gives 2 inputs that can navigate the X/Y coordinates of our Grid Matrix screens at good speeds of up to 12 WPM (words per minute) input.
This low cost device utilises advanced (solid state) capacitive touch sensors that reliably work through the plastic front panel and allows a reliable and hygienic input sensor that gives 2/3 inputs that can navigate the X/Y coordinates of our Grid Matrix screens at high speeds. We also have a braille overlay to help users (with limited or no vision) to find and identify the touch positions.
All Assist sensors have zero volt contacts to allow their use with a range of external equipment: including toys, gaming inputs, environmental controls and other and AT and communication aids etc.
Another very exciting new AT development is our Dual Face CHEEK-Assist glasses – low cost sensors that process slight face cheek movements for speech control and gaming. All our Dual Input AT devices allow fast access of characters via an X-Y matrix scanning algorithm. This device can allow typing of up to 12 WPM (words per minute) on our communicator just by face cheek movement alone. With our frequent letter grid matrix even faster WPM is possible.
Used with our Tri-Assist RF receiver the wireless glasses version can control Amazons Alexa and Google Home by cheek movements alone (no speech).
This highly innovative invention is a device that allows disabled people with any speech impediment (and in some cases the elderly) to use Amazons Alexa and Google Home Smart Speakers by processing their breath or touch alone. The prime voice-enabled tech device is the low cost Alexa Dot (costing under £50) which has huge potential to assist disabled people. One problem found though, is that some disabled users are having trouble with the activation-key words including “Alexa”. It seems that when Alexa is awaiting its name activation (word spotting) the SR algorithm uses a strict acceptance level as this must be needed to stop spurious actions of the device, which would be a nuisance. The outcome of this is that anyone with any type of speech impediment can have major problems using Alexa, and of course many severely disabled people have little or no voice at all. Enter MBT-Assist Lite that can process breath (puffs) and TOUCH-Assist Lite (capacitive touch), these devices can control external voice-enabled products without having to use speech at all.
As with MBT-Assist, TAP-Assist allows disabled people with any speech impediment (and in some cases the elderly) to use the Amazon Alexa and Google Home Smart Speakers by processing their gentle taps on the front of the device.
Tri-Assist is large RF (soft touch) dome button switch with 3 selects - the device is solid state (no moving parts). The wireless dome button radio link goes to a small RF receiver hub that has the following
Plug-in module options:
SLIRC = stand alone (Self Learning IR) Controller module for TV, DVD, players etc
SSC = stand alone (Alexa, Google Home) Switch Controller module that requires no user speech
This photo shows our latest AT concept, specifically designed for the elderly and disabled. An amazing AT device has now been developed - it is the low cost and immensely useful Echo Show 5 (Alexa) from Amazon. From research, the care sectors seem to be very slow to take up this life changing technology where Voice Enabled devices offer so much potential to so many possible users.
The V-Companion objective is to add significant value to the Echo Show 5 device with regards to social care and enhance its value - also to add quality of life, extra security and companionship for the elderly, disabled and blind.
The big USP (unique selling point) of Voice-Companion is that it not only offers cutting edge voice-enabled technology but the expertise to customise the set-up for individual users (i.e. emergency phone numbers, video link permissions, favourite music, family pictures for slideshow etc).
