Abstract: Language oriented information is communicated to and from a user by the use of a computer with a dynamic graphics display, having a pointing device for visually indicating a position through a cursor on the display. Various embodiments of the method include calling an icon to attention when the cursor is positioned on the icon, auto projecting an icon when it is activated, changing the icon image to denote its terminal node status, varying the play back speed of the audio/visual aspect of an icon, moving among different layers of a hierarchical database, and text searching and matching with icons.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for training the sensory perceptual system in a language learning impaired (LLI) subject is provided. The apparatus and method incorporates a number of different programs to be played by the subject. The programs artificially process selected portions of language elements, called phonemes, so they will be more easily distinguished by an LLI subject, and gradually improves the subject's neurological processing of the elements through repetitive stimulation. The programs continually monitor a subject's ability to distinguish the processed language elements, and adaptively configures the programs to challenge and reward the subject by altering the degree of processing. Through adaptive control and repetition of processed speech elements, and presentation of the speech elements in a creative fashion, a subject's temporal processing of acoustic events common to speech are significantly improved.

Abstract: A braille teaching tool that audibly pronounces each braille character as it is touched by the student is comprised of a touch pad having a rectangular matrix of touch sensitive areas each connected to a processor with memory for identifying each sensitive area of each sheet of braille placed on the touch pad. The processor is coupled to a speech synthesizer for pronouncing the braille character.

Abstract: In continuous sign language recognition, reference sign language patterns of good quality are generated. Continuous sign language patterns and reference sign language patterns are efficiently compressed. The compressed continuous sign language patterns are sequentially and directly matched with the compressed reference sign language patterns to recognize the sign language at high speed and with high precision. A reference sign pattern generating unit generates a reference sign language pattern by normalizing sample patterns while taking into consideration of their nonlinear compression/expansion and by calculating an average of the sample patterns. A continuous sign language recognition unit recognizes a continuous sign language at high speed by sequentially matching the continuous sign language of time sequential patterns with reference sign language patterns while allowing nonlinear expansion and compression in the time domain.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for predicting, diagnosing and/or treating reading deficit in a human being is disclosed. The method includes generating a set of tonal stimuli, which includes at least a first tonal stimulus and a second tonal stimulus. The first tonal stimulus is separated from the second tonal stimulus by an interval. The computer-implemented method further includes providing the set of tonal stimuli to the human being and receiving a response from the human being. The response from the human being indicates a perception by the human being pertaining to the set of tonal stimuli. Further, the computer-implemented method includes ascertaining a first parameter pertaining to the set of tonal stimuli at which the response is inaccurate. The first parameter is one of a frequency parameter and a time parameter. The first parameter indicates that the human is susceptible to the reading deficit if the first parameter is above a predefined parameter value.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an audio sign adapted to provide an aural message once the sign is tactilely actuated. The invention typically includes a graphical information section, a tactile information section, and a self contained audio section configured to provide aural information once tactilely actuated.

Abstract: The invention relates to an orientation aid for visually impaired and particularly blind persons. In this connection, at least one signal device (5, 6) for the indicating of a change in the direction of walking is associated with a memory (7) for the storing of a selectable direction of walking.

Abstract: A learning and assessment aid (10) for helping visually impaired individuals develop desirable ambulatory motion habits. The learning aid includes a housing (14) designed to be attached to an article of clothing worn by the individual. Internal to the housing is an inertial transducer (16) that monitors the rotation of the housing and the individual. The individual enters commands to the learning aid through a keypad (20) in response to audible instructions generated over a speaker (22). To foster desirable turning motions, the learning aid informs of the extent to which the individual turns. To foster straight-line walking, the learning aid generates a message over the speaker whenever the individual rotates more than a pre-set individual-entered maximum veer.

Abstract: An audio-book player includes a member capable of indicating to a blind person that a recording medium is loaded in or unloaded from the body proper. The audio-book player, which reproduces written data recorded on a recording medium as voice, includes a body proper into which the recording medium can be unloadably loaded and a member for identifying a loading state, in which the recording medium is loaded in the body proper, and an unloading state, in which the recording medium is unloaded therefrom. With this structure, the identifying member identifies the states by changing its tactile impression, so that blind persons can understand the states wherein recording medium is loaded in or unloaded from the body proper.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring and enhancing the neuro-motor coordination of humans and animals includes generation of a non-visual periodic reference signal that is supplied to the user. A response is received from the user of that user's perception of an occurrence of the periodic reference signal. A non-visual feedback signal is derived as a function of the occurrence of the reference signal and the user response. The non-visual feedback signal is supplied to indicate to that user the temporal relationship of the user's response and the occurrence of the periodic reference signal. The non-visual signal may be in the form of an audio feedback signal or may be a tactile feedback signal.

Abstract: A braille learning apparatus for use with a computer comprising a set of tactile flash cards, each individual card having a pattern of braille dots embossed on a surface of the card and two electrically connected contacts at a unique set of discrete spaced positions on the card with a preselected correspondence between the pattern of braille dots on the surface of the card and the selected positions of the contacts, and a tactile flash card reader capable of sensing the positions of the contacts on a card.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of reading bank notes is provided comprising storing signals in a memory. The imaging apparatus for scanning a stationary banknote includes a stationary light source, mirror, charge coupled device (CCD), and lens. The method corresponding to at least a portion of an array of pixels defined by a printed pattern on the face of a bank note, raster scanning the face of the bank note with a charge coupled device (CCD) to obtain a serial signal representing the pattern, searching the memory for the serial signal, comparing the serial signal with the stored signals, and indicating the correct presence of the bank note in the event the comparison correlates to a predetermined degree.

Abstract: A feedback apparatus for an operator to control an effector that is remote from the operator to interact with a remote environment has a local input device to be manipulated by the operator. Sensors in the effector's environment are capable of sensing the amplitude of forces arising between the effector and its environment, the direction of application of such forces, or both amplitude and direction. A feedback signal corresponding to such a component of the force, is generated and transmitted to the environment of the operator. The signal is transduced into a vibrotactile sensory substitution signal to which the operator is sensitive. Vibration producing apparatus present the vibrotactile signal to the operator. The full range of the force amplitude may be represented by a single, mechanical vibrator. Vibrotactile display elements can be located on the operator's limbs, such as on the hand, fingers, arms, legs, feet, etc.

Abstract: This invention includes a speech training system that allows a student to enter any utterance to be learned and have the articulatory model movements required to produce the utterance displayed on a CRT screen. The system accepts a typed utterance, breaking it down into a set of speech units which could be phonemes or syllables and the onset and offset of the speech units. The set of speech units is sent to a synthesizer, which produces a set of parameters indicating the acoustic characteristics of the utterance. The acoustic parameters are converted into articulatory parameters emphasizing the frequency and nasality required to produce the typed utterance. The speech units and onset and offset of each are used to generate tongue-palate contact patterns required to produce the typed utterance. The articulatory parameters are displayed on the CRT screen. The acoustic parameters are also sent to a formant synthesizer which converts the parameters into speech output.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring and enhancing the neuro-motor coordination of humans and animals includes generation of a non-visual periodic reference signal that is supplied to the user. A response is received from the user of that user's perception of an occurrence of the periodic reference signal. A non-visual feedback signal is derived as a function of the occurrence of the reference signal and the user response. The non-visual feedback signal is supplied to indicate to that user the temporal relationship of the user's response and the occurrence of the periodic reference signal. The non-visual signal may be in the form of an audio feedback signal or may be a tactile feedback signal.

Abstract: The present invention is a locator device for the visually impaired including a transmitter and a dual sensing system having a receiver with earphones which are attached to opposite sides of a unit worn on the user's head. The sensing system is capable of determining a direction and distance of the signal, and capable of producing first and second audible notifiers in each of the earphones. The notifier produced in each earphone is different and is associated with the direction and distance of the transmitted signal. When the notifier produced in each earphone is the same, the user is directly in front of the desired object to be located.

Abstract: A sign language translation system and method that not only recognizes words of a sign language but also supplements omitted words between the words of the sign language, to thereby generate a spoken language. The sign language translation system has an input unit for inputting at least the motion of hands, a language generating unit responsive to the inputted motion of hands for recognizing the words corresponding to the motion of hands and generating a spoken language using the relationship between the recognized words, and an output unit for outputting the generated spoken language. The sign language translation system and method can translate a sign language into an easy-to-understand spoken language.

Abstract: The present invention is a global positioning system that helps a blind pedestrian navigate through a city. This system uses the Department of Defense Global Positioning System (GPS) and a Differential GPS receiver to determine a pedestrian's longitude and latitude. Once these coordinates have been determined, they are correlated with a computerized map database. The map database holds the names and coordinates of specific locations, such as intersections, in a particular region. The system of the present invention retrieves the names of locations from the map database that are near the pedestrian. These names are then output to a voice synthesizer.

Abstract: There is disclosed an omnipresent sound system for use by a listener in an artificial reality system which operates to couple sound with the presented objects such that as the sound moves with respect to the user, the user will have the perception of the changing sound both in pitch and in volume. The sound system is comprised of a series of piezoelectric elements spaced apart around a user's head. The system is designed to program each element individually so as to create the illusion of omnipresent three-dimensional sound in conjunction with images presented to the listener, which images define an artificial environment.

Abstract: A feedback apparatus for an operator to control an effector that is remote from the operator to interact with a remote environment has a local input device to be manipulated by the operator. Sensors in the effector's environment are capable of sensing the amplitude of forces arising between the effector and its environment, the direction of application of such forces, or both amplitude and direction. A feedback signal corresponding to such a component of the force, is generated and transmitted to the environment of the operator. The signal is transduced into an auditory sensory substitution signal to which the operator is sensitive. Sound production apparatus present the auditory signal to the operator. The full range of the force amplitude may be represented by a single, audio speaker. Auditory display elements may be stereo headphones or free standing audio speakers, numbering from one to many more than two.

Abstract: A system to assist the guiding of the blind characterized by a modular circuit which is activated by radiation emitted by a circuit worn by the blind person. The stationary modular circuit has a radiation sensor. A trigger with analog digital functions is attached to a microprocessor which has an inlet for an amplifier attached to a speaker which generates spoken transmitted messages. The trigger has outlets connected to a sensitivity adjustment control of the device, and the amplifier carries the control for the adjustment of volume. Included in the same manner are recording and reproduction indicators for signals introduced by the microphone/tape, selectable between possible messages and capable of deactivation. The device is capable of transmission of oral messages after the activation of the circuit by the user.

Abstract: This invention includes a speech training system that allows a student to enter any utterance to be learned and have the articulatory model movements required to produce the utterance displayed on a CRT screen. The system accepts a typed utterance, breaking it down into a set of phonemes. The set of phonemes is sent to a synthesizer, which produces a set of parameters indicating the acoustic characteristics of the utterance. The acoustic parameters are converted into articulatory parameters emphasizing the frequency, nasality, and tongue-palate contact required to produce the typed utterance. The articulatory parameters are displayed on the CRT screen. The acoustic parameters are also sent to a formant synthesizer which converts the parameters into speech output. The system measures a student's production and then evaluates the student's production against the parameters of the typed utterance for its similarity. Feedback on the similarity is displayed on the CRT screen.

Abstract: A reading apparatus for a handicapped person includes a reader for optically reading character information from a recording medium and photoelectrically converting the character information so that it is displayed by a pin pattern on a display. When the operator detects a character area from the display result, an area of an object for character recognition is designated by an input unit and the execution of the character recognition is instructed. A processor recognizes the character read by the reader and displays the character so that it can be perceived in a tactile manner. Whether the result of the reading of the character is correct or not can be checked by tactile perception. The recognition result of the character recognized can also be converted into an audio output by an audio output unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a computer audio interface adapted to enable blind or visually impaired users to locate icons positioned in rows in the background of a graphical user interface. Whenever the pointer of the interface is positioned on the background, the system produces a distinctive tone. Whenever the pointer is positioned in an icon row that is occupied by one or more icons, the system produces a distinctive chord. Whenever the pointer is positioned in the background and not in an occupied row, the system produces stereo effects that give the user information as to the relative left/right position of the pointer. Whenever the pointer is positioned in an occupied row, the amplitude of the left and right stereo channels is controlled such that whenever the pointer is to the left of the leftmost icon, substantially all of the volume is produced by the left speaker and whenever the pointer is to the right of the rightmost icon, substantially all of the the volume is produced by the right speaker.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method that enables blind or visually impaired computer users to handle message boxes in a graphical user interface. When a message box first appears, the textual content of the box is announced audibly and an audible homing signal is produced. In the preferred embodiment, the homing signal is a tone whose pitch increases as the distance between the pointer and the message box decreases.

Abstract: The painting kit is proposed for use by the visually impaired and includes a board having a clip at one end thereof, at least one drawing sheet having a shape defined thereon by means of a raised ridge, and at least one bottle of specifically scented paint, the bottle having a braille indication of the color of paint therein, thereon. The drawing sheet is of such dimensions as to be engaged to the board by the clip. The board further includes actuatable buttons on a top surface thereof functionally engaged to a voice synthesizer for causing at least one voice message to be produced, the voice message defining at least one characteristic of the shape, such as its color.

Abstract: A continuous input system allows a system operator to continuously input a plurality of polysemous icon symbols to access stored morphemes, words, phrases, or sentences corresponding to an icon sequence. The system, with automatic mode selection for the input system, containing a plurality of character and symbol keys, allows for automatically selecting of the icon mode, a character or word prediction mode, and even a subsequent suffix mode, to allow a user to enter morphemes, words, phrases, or sentences sequentially. Further, by utilizing the character and word prediction modes, including the suffix mode, words, phrases or sentences corresponding to non-accessible icon sequences can be automatically activated without having to manually switch out of the icon mode or select the character and word prediction mode.

Abstract: The disclosure teaches a computer mouse having tactile feedback to be used with audio computer output to provide a virtual graphic display to blind computer users. The mouse and audio feedback allow blind computer users to visualize computer graphic images and multiple screen windows in much the same way as these forms of computer output are visualized by persons with sight.

Abstract: A portable voice or speech aid enabling a deaf or voice impaired user to make sounds into a microphone to output intelligible speech through a built-in speaker or to a text display screen.

Abstract: A magnetic tracking aid for use with a hand held optical scanner is disclosed. It consists of a magnetic flat substrate having a hinged magnetic flap at its top edge to form a clip board configuration. An individual sheet or page of a bound volume is aligned with the top edge of flat substrate, and a magnetic strip, hinged to the top edge, is rotated onto the page to lock it into the aligned position. A second magnetic strip is used to keep the aligned page locked into position when the first strip is raised to enable scanning of the top portion of the page. Alternate rows of north and south pole lines are formed on the flat substrate. A small sheet magnet is adhered to the bottom of the scanner which has identical rows of north and south pole lines so that the opposite poles are attracted to those on the flat substrate to assist in maintaining the orientation of the scanner while it is being moved by a blind user to scan a swath of printed text.

Abstract: A method of using a waveform to sound pattern converter that produces an audible image of a time dependent signal by digitizing the signal to produce a plurality of discrete level signals, and produces a different audible tone signal for each level of the discrete level signals. A speaker is provided for producing audible sounds and circuitry is provided for driving the speaker to produce an audibly perceptible reference frame indicative of a predetermined time duration and also for driving the speaker with the audible tone signals such that the audible tone signals have the same time orientation with respect to each other as the discrete level signals have in the time dependent signal. The sounds are provided to listener to enable the listener to distinguish the shape of the time dependent signal based on the position and time relation of the tone signals relative to the reference time frame signal.

Abstract: A high resolution hand held scanner is disclosed for use with a character recognizing and voice synthesizing reading machine for the blind or print handicapped people. The components for scanning swaths of printed text from single sheets or bound pages of bound volumes are housed in an elongated, dust-tight carriage. A broad roller is rotatably mounted on one edge of the carriage and a split roller is rotatably mounted on an opposite edge. The roller axes are coplanar and parallel with each other, so that when the carriage is manually moved across a page to be scanned, a window in the carriage floor is maintained a predetermined distance therefrom and the rollers guide the carriage in a substantially straight line without need of guide rails. A strobed LED array provides the illumination for a 1728 element per inch CCD array via a Selfoc.RTM. lens. Each four CCD elements are summed to synthesize over 400 pixels per inch resolution scanning, with each synthesized pixel having increased light gathering ability.

Abstract: A computer controlled by a voice input has a speech recognition section for converting a keyword of a program which is entered by the voice input and corresponds to a start number, thereby obtaining a digital code. The digital code data which indicates the keyword selects the start number corresponding to the storage content of a table stored in a program memory. The start number data is used to access a start address of the corresponding program, thereby starting and executing the program. Also disclosed is a system wherein when a chosen key of a key input device is operated while a voice operator guidance is generated, a key-in signal is produced to forcibly stop the ongoing guidance. In particular, when a plurality of voice operator guidances are provided, the computer learns the state of the operation by the operator from the manner of the forcible stop, and automatically stops the generation of the voice guidance on a specific item from the next processing.

Abstract: A security validator particularly adapted for use by the blind. The validator includes sensors testing both top and bottom portions of a note to determine its authenticity and its denomination. Upon completion of the sensing operation, a voice recording or other audible indicia is emitted, indicating both the denomination and validity of the note. The invention also includes various devices for urging the note toward the sensor to assure high resolution data gathering. Additionally, testing of the note begins on the "green edge" of the note to assure that data is gathered from proper positions along the note.

Abstract: A system for utilizing sensing abilities of human hearing, including horizontal and vertical directional acuity, to represent visual aspects of the environs by converting incoming signals to audio waves, transmitted in response to an array of electroacoustic transducers in a plane parallel to a medial plane and then to the ears. Translation by the subject of incoming sound waves to location of their source and apperception of intelligence, including speech, are normal functions of human hearing. In use of the present invention, no additional cerebral translations are involved. Additional information may be superposed by means of pitch, intensity, timbre, chords and arbitrary signals requiring very simple translations by the brain, which signals may thereby be interpreted as color, brightness, texture and/or distance.