Abstract: A voltage booster powered by a primary electrical source for providing an adjustable voltage across the load, while a current regulator in series with the load maintains the desired current. When the voltage drop across the current regulator exceeds an upper threshold, the voltage booster's output voltage is reduced to a lower level to reduce the power dissipated by the current regulator, to improve efficiency. When the voltage drop across the current regulator is less than a lower threshold, the voltage booster output is increased to a higher level. In burst mode operation, the voltage booster output alternates between a full voltage and zero voltage, and an optional capacitor provides voltage across the resistive load during discharge. An optional diode can ensure that the capacitor discharges through the load in cases where the voltage booster output is not floating.

Abstract: A speech training coach includes a communications device having a processor coupled to at least one memory, a transceiver, a speaker, a microphone, and a display screen driven by a display driver controlled by the processor. At least a first portion of a speech collection, speech analysis and speech coaching algorithm (algorithm) is stored in the memory for analyzing speech volume, speech speed, and speech pitch using reference values for each. The microphone for collecting a speaker's voice sample. The algorithm is for in essentially real-time scoring based on the reference values and displaying on the display screen scores for the speech volume, speech speed, and the speech pitch and for displaying an auditory or tactile recommendation for changing one's speech or for providing a favorable speech assessment.