Abstract: An artificial larynx of the type having a case and a battery-powered, tone-producing, electrical circuit within the case, includes control components for enabling a user to turn on the circuit and vary the frequency of the tone. The turn-on control components include a switch having a switch actuator and a pushbutton or other suitable depressor component, while the frequency-control components include a pressure-sensitive resistor (PSR) electrically connected in the circuit and physically disposed intermediate the depressor component and the switch actuator.

Abstract: An infrared controller device includes an infrared detector for detecting infrared signals from a remote control infrared transmitter and microprocessor circuitry responsive to the infrared detector for producing an output and switching the output from an OFF state to an ON state if a detected infrared signal has a predetermined waveform. The microprocessor circuitry is configured to operate in a LEARNING MODE in which the microprocessor circuitry produces and stores a set of LEARNED DATA indicative of the waveform of a detected infrared signal. The microprocessor circuitry is also configured to operate in a WORKING MODE in which the microprocessor circuitry (a) produces a set of WORKING DATA for each detected infrared signal that is indicative of the waveform of the detected infrared signal, (b) compares the set of WORKING DATA for each detected infrared signal with the first set of LEARNED data, and (c) switches the output from an OFF state to an ON state if the WORKING DATA matches the LEARNED DATA.