Could Electronics Majors At A College Build Me A Lightwriter?

[BFritz21]

Everyone knows about the little brick-size computer that I talk with:



I love it because I can type on it so fast that it comes out about as smoothly as anyone talks.

The only problem is that they quit making this model and the new models, while more advanced with having predictive text, actually are a lot more difficult for me to use because the speech is delayed a split second when I hit enter, the predictive text isn't instant, it's more difficult to store things and then even more difficult to pull them up, it doesn't scroll the text when you hit the replay button, and a few other things. It also doesn't have the cool sounds or any of the songs.

I have a five or six older Lightwriters in my model that, for one reason or another, quit working. Do you think that I could find a college class that deals in that sort of thing (electronics, I guess? Maybe computers?) that would, as maybe a class project with groups, take my old Lightwriters and find the pieces in each that still work and put them into the other ones that don't work and get them functioning again?

Or do you think I could find a class that would take on the project of building me an entirely new communication device?

I think it would be a cool thing to do and make their classroom experience more real and make them feel like they accomplished something big!

Let me know if you have any thoughts or ideas that can help me and if you think it's even a good idea!

THANKS!

[fredtoast]

You might find a business to do it, but i doubt a school would take it on as a project. Schools are much more into new advances in technology than they are in fixing stuff that is now considered obsolete.

I hear people talk all the time about how no one fixes anything anymore and instead they just throw everything away. But in the car shows that I watch they are always finding small businesses that will refurbish old electronic devices or repair them instead of buying a new one.

[George Cantstandya]

I'm kind of surprised that the technology these days for such a system has not moved more toward tablets/ipad. It seems a tablet paired with a rechargeable Bluetooth speaker for louder volume would work well for that. I got kind of curious and did a search. I found a product called TalkTablet that is made for assisted speech and works on android and I think iPad. I watched a few youtube videos on it. It seems to be customizable with built in phrases as well as a keyboard for typing out whatever it is you want to say but I'm not sure if that is what you are looking for though.

Here is one example video I found that demonstrates the keyboard function:
https://www.facebook.com/TalkTablet/videos/647256239003248/

There may be other software like that as well. I really didn't look in to it that much. But to get back to your question. I think if what you want doesn't already exist for tablets you might be more likely to find a group to create the software for existing devices android tablet/iPad. It's much, much more involved to create the hardware like your Lightwriter as well as the software that works on it than to create the software compatible with current devices.

Plus if you have a tablet that does what you want, as long as you have internet access you could view your favorite "entertainment" sites between conversations. Just don't forget to turn off the speaker when others are around.

[BFritz21]

(12-30-2020, 03:41 PM)George Cantstandya Wrote: I'm kind of surprised that the technology these days for such a system has not moved more toward tablets/ipad.  It seems a tablet paired with a rechargeable Bluetooth speaker for louder volume would work well for that.   I got kind of curious and did a search.  I found a product called TalkTablet that is made for assisted speech and works on android and I think iPad.  I watched a few youtube videos on it. It seems to be customizable with built in phrases as well as a keyboard for typing out whatever it is you want to say but I'm not sure if that is what you are looking for though.

Here is one example video I found that demonstrates the keyboard function:
https://www.facebook.com/TalkTablet/videos/647256239003248/

There may be other software like that as well.  I really didn't look in to it that much.  But to get back to your question.  I think if what you want doesn't already exist for tablets you might be more likely to find a group to create the software for existing devices android tablet/iPad.  It's much, much more involved to not only create the hardware like your Lightwriter as well as the software that works on it than to create the software compatible with current devices.

Plus if you have a tablet that does what you want, as long as you have internet access you could view your favorite "entertainment" sites between conversations.  Just don't forget to turn off the speaker when others are around.  

Good looking out!

They had me try out one of those in the link when they had me trying out new devices but I just chose the updated Lightwriter because, like it shows in the video with those pictures and things, the ones they showed me were for people that function a lot less normally than I do.  Like pictures for food and whatever are fine and I'm glad that people have that to communicate with their caregivers. but I type and communicate like anyone talks.  It does have, in that tablet/device, a keyboard function, but it would be annoying if it didn't speak each word and only repeated the entire phrase after I finished.  It also doesn't look like it has a reverse side so people standing in front of me didn't have to try and read it upside down.

They had me try out an iPad but, the same as above, people standing in front of me wouldn't be able to read it.

The elevated keys on mine also help me a lot because, as I've mentioned as a reason why I can't drive, my blinks are usually delayed for a second or two, so I have to type blind, which would be difficult on a touch screen.

With how advanced technology and things are becoming, I guess I'm just hoping that it wouldn't be too tough to replicate an older technology or to mix parts of old ones to make a new one work.

Nice find!  I'll look into it more!

[George Cantstandya]

(12-30-2020, 03:59 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: Good looking out!

They had me try out one of those in the link when they had me trying out new devices but I just chose the updated Lightwriter because, like it shows in the video with those pictures and things, the ones they showed me were for people that function a lot less normally than I do.  Like pictures for food and whatever are fine and I'm glad that people have that to communicate with their caregivers. but I type and communicate like anyone talks.  It does have, in that tablet/device, a keyboard function, but it would be annoying if it didn't speak each word and only repeated the entire phrase after I finished.  It also doesn't look like it has a reverse side so people standing in front of me didn't have to try and read it upside down.

They had me try out an iPad but, the same as above, people standing in front of me wouldn't be able to read it.

The elevated keys on mine also help me a lot because, as I've mentioned as a reason why I can't drive, my blinks are usually delayed for a second or two, so I have to type blind, which would be difficult on a touch screen.

With how advanced technology and things are becoming, I guess I'm just hoping that it wouldn't be too tough to replicate an older technology or to mix parts of old ones to make a new one work.

Nice find!  I'll look into it more!

Wanting your speech to happen as you type is understandable.  I can see where it would be annoying to have to wait to hit enter to say what you want.  I can only imagine the frustration trying to have a conversation and the people I'm talking to having to wait for me to type out a response and then press a key to actually say what I want. 

Anyway, glad to share what I learned about assisted speech technology even if it isn't what works for you.  I actually learned a lot about a topic I never thought about.  I hope you find a a good solution.  

[BFritz21]

(12-30-2020, 04:39 PM)George Cantstandya Wrote: Wanting your speech to happen as you type is understandable.  I can see where it would be annoying to have to wait to hit enter to say what you want.  I can only imagine the frustration trying to have a conversation and the people I'm talking to having to wait for me to type out a response and then press a key to actually say what I want. 

Anyway, glad to share what I learned about assisted speech technology even if it isn't what works for you.  I actually learned a lot about a topic I never thought about.  I hope you find a a good solution.  

Looked on eBay and found a Lightwriter in the older model that I like in England selling for $700.  It says it has the normal wear and tear but is otherwise perfect, so I emailed my brother (he controls my finances) and I think I'm going to buy it.  

(I don't need his permission for an order so small, but I just don't want him thinking that I'm spending like crazy on a whim.  Since it was initially 4 grand and still looks like it will work perfectly for me, I think it's a good buy.)

I actually found a few on a site but it costs money to even join the site and I just don't feel like going through the hassle.

Edit: my brother already responded and said it's ok and actually wants me to put it on my trust from the tree, which makes sense since it's a special needs trust, but I just didn't even think about using it.

[BFritz21]

(12-30-2020, 04:39 PM)George Cantstandya Wrote: Wanting your speech to happen as you type is understandable.  I can see where it would be annoying to have to wait to hit enter to say what you want.  I can only imagine the frustration trying to have a conversation and the people I'm talking to having to wait for me to type out a response and then press a key to actually say what I want. 

Anyway, glad to share what I learned about assisted speech technology even if it isn't what works for you.  I actually learned a lot about a topic I never thought about.  I hope you find a a good solution.  

In terms of my speech happening as I type it, I type near as fast as people talk, like I said, but even that isn't fast enough to get all my thoughts out because my brain goes a million miles a second and I have so much to say, so sometimes I get frustrated and just try to yell it all out.

The weird thing about that is, when I don't think about what I'm going to say and just yell it out or even talk normal, it comes out clear as day sometimes and you wouldn't even know that I need a communication device.   

[George Cantstandya]

(12-30-2020, 04:50 PM)BFritz21 Wrote: I actually found a few on a site but it costs money to even join the site and I just don't feel like going through the hassle.

Probably a good choice.  If a site charges you money to join so you can buy their products it is most likely a scam.  Companies selling stuff pay to generate sales instead of charging the customer to shop for their products..  :)