Abstract: A toy doll which responds with spoken words and/or sentences to the touching of selected portions of the doll by a user and/or voice actuation by the user is described. Specific areas of the doll, such as eyes, ears, nose, etc. are provided with touch switches. When one of the switches is activated, the doll responds with one of two randomly selected sentences related to that part which was touched e.g. "that's my nose", "do you like my nose". In addition, voice actuation is provided by a microphone located within the doll. When the user speaks to the doll, the microphone senses the speech. After the speech has stopped for a fixed period of time (usually one second) the doll responds with a randomly selected sentence. Audio responses are stored via ROM in circuitry within the doll. The vocabulary of the doll can be changed or enlarged with additional ROM's. In order to conserve power, a gravity switch is provided to turn the doll on when the doll is placed in a sitting position or otherwise moved.

Abstract: An audio-visual entertainment device includes an enclosed module which contains a video screen, audio speakers and seating for one or two viewers. Sensors respond to the presence of a viewer to change from an "attract mode" audio visual display to one that invites selection of an entertainment program from an inventory of programs. Upon payment of a "fee", the apparatus selects and displays the desired program. The program inventory is maintained on video disks which can be periodically replaced.

Abstract: Improved audio-visual display systems are disclosed. A lesson program in audio frequency form recorded on a storage medium provides control data and narrative information. The control information provides data to the system about the particular lesson program, including the visual images which are to be associated with the narrative information. The control data also provides information concerning the responses expected from users of the system, and instructions for alternative steps available which are prescribed in accordance with a users actual responses. The lesson program may be arranged in chapters which include control data and corresponding narrative information. Separate visuals may be provided, with images indexed for selection by the control data.

Abstract: An electronic system and method employing a plurality of record sheets or cards, for teaching, training, quizzing, testing and game playing when a person interacts therewith. In one form, a record card containing printed matter is inserted into a recepticle in a support and caused to move along a guide to an operating position where its printed face may be viewed and read. As it so travels, coded information on a border portion of the card is sensed to generate coded electrical signals, which are applied to effect one or more functions such as the programming of a computer, the selection of recordings from a memory, the generation of selected speech signals and sounds thereof, the control of a display or other interactive device or devices, the activation or control of a scoring means or the selective activation of testing electronic circuitry.

Abstract: A system for psychologically testing visually impaired or reading impaired persons has a series of questions presented in a prerecorded audible form. An answer sheet having regions in which responses to each question may be recorded has associated with each of the regions a marker which may be removed, moved, or physically modified to record a desired response to each question. The regions for the recording of responses are associated with a tactilely locatable portion on each answer sheet which enables the regions to be easily located by touch, with each marker preferably being a tactilely locatable element which is similarly easily located by touch.

Abstract: A portable general-purpose electronic apparatus which is characterized in that; a memory unit can be inserted into the housing via an inlet so that any desired display information memorized by the memory unit can be displayed on a screen display, and as a result, a variety of information can be conveniently displayed by merely changing the memory unit. Consequently, an extremely useful general-purpose electronic apparatus can be realized by memorizing any desired information, for example, such as game function and other data of interest.

Abstract: Disclosed is a doll which is useful as a child's plaything, useful for teaching the child to count from 1 through 10, useful for teaching the child to identify colors, and useful to familiarize the child with various wearing apparel fasteners. The doll includes at least 10 groups of distinctive features with each group being made up of a predetermined number of similar features, the predetermined number being one of the numbers from 1 to 10, so that each number from 1 to 10 is represented by at least one such group. The doll further includes a number of distinctly colored areas and a number of different wearing apparel fasteners.

Abstract: The control unit for switching on a teaching device for conveying optical and/or acoustical learning information which includes a transducer for converting the pulse, skin resistance, blood pressure or respiration as to intensity and rhythm into an electrical analog signal followed by a detector for delivering an electrical digital signal when the alpha-state of the test subject is reached. The detector controls a switching unit for switching on the teaching device when the digital signal is applied. The analog signal is additionally applied to a signal generator which feeds an output signal corresponding to the analog signal to a lamp and/or a loudspeaker for purposes of biofeedback.

Abstract: A computer-assisted audio/visual teaching system which presents synchronized audio and visual instructional material to an individual student. Standard classroom components, including a microcomputer, television monitor, disk drive (or computer cassette recorder), and stereo cassette player are combined with an audio control module to present drill and practice and tutorial lessons containing written text and graphics, as well as recorded instructional narrative which is synchronized with a computer program. The audio control module allows computer-generated sound effects to be incorporated with recorded instructional narrative. A student observes the computer-driven visual portion of an instructional lesson on a television monitor and listens to the player-reproduced audio portion of the lesson through headphones. At selected intervals, the lesson presents questions or problems to which the student responds via a computer keyboard.

Abstract: A microprocessor based electronic teaching aid which enables a student viewing a display containing text material being studied to designate any word or portion of text for definition or for vocalization by synthesized speech techniques wherein the reading material being studied is supplied in the form of a programmed Source ROM which contains pointers to the start addresses for the words of the reading material with reference to an internally provided dictionary. A program causes the creation of the text display responsive to the Source ROM data, and includes techniques for being able to define and vocalize any selected word. This combination of hardware and software permits a significant reduction in the cost of this teaching aid by elimination of disk drives or tape drives.

Abstract: An educational game including a game board, at least one game piece and an audio recording. The game board has a serpentine path located on the top face thereof. The serpentine path is broken up into a series of connected squares. The game piece is designed such that it is moved along the path as the game is played. The audio recording contains a number of mathematical problems or other questions and the answers thereto. Each question or problem is separated from its answer by a pause of predetermined duration. Each time the player of the game answers a problem or a question correctly and within the time allowed, the player advances his/her game piece along the serpentine path. The number of squares on the path and the number of questions on the recording are equal so that if a player answers all of the questions correctly, his/her game piece exactly reaches the finish space.

Abstract: The invention relates to a viewer for reading and/or displaying information recorded on written or printed tape.The viewer includes a supporting housing formed with two seats for removably accommodating two motor-driven rotatable spools or reels, one of which carries a roll of written or printed tape material, e.g. paper, wound thereon, the other being adapted to rewind the tape as it unwinds from the first reel. The tape winding/unwinding on/from the reels is controlled by a drive circuitry for operation by the user, e.g. through a push-button control. Above the tape portion extending between the two reels, there is arranged a magnifying lens for reading the information on the tape. Advantageously, the reel-accommodating seats are located on a drawer structure, which facilitates removal and replacement of the reels.The viewer may be connected to a recorder to create an audio-visual didactic aid therewith.

Abstract: A player for a pre-recorded sound magnetic tape package in a cartridge or a cassette format in which each package is united with a three-dimensional character thematically related to the recording and animated thereby. The character is provided with eye and mouth openings covered by translucent elements. Housed in the character are light guides extending from the eye and mouth elements to a common optical inlet. When the package is inserted in the player to effect actuation thereof, the character is then at an erect position thereabove and the optical inlet is then in registration with a light outlet on the player behind which is a light bulb connected to the audio output thereof. As the recorded sound is reproduced, the light emitted by the bulb is modulated in accordance therewith. The resultant light pulses are conveyed by the guides to the eye and mouth elements to impart animation to the character in synchronism with the reproduced sound.

Abstract: A video recorder system including a video recorder having an output and a plurality of operating elements which can be operated by an operator according to a desired mode of operation as outlined in operating instructions for recording a video signal and playing back the video signals via the output. The video recorder also includes means coupled to the output for storing video and audio representations of the operating instructions and for selectively applying the representations to the output. The system additionally includes a television playback device connected to the output of the recorder for receiving and utilizing the representations, in addition to the video signals, for establishing a dialog between the operator and the video recorder for the purpose of operating, programming and monitoring said recorder.

Abstract: An automated interactive game, instruction and reference system having an optical laser videodisc player unit and using a videodisc record on which are recorded segmented groups of graphic and pictorial video information data interspersed with segmented groups of system control and programming data, a television video display unit, a user command/response unit having user manual input controls of variable functions and variable labelling means therefor to indicate the current function as established by signals from said videodisc record, and control processor means for receiving short segments of programming data from said videodisc record and distributing information signals from said videodisc record to the other units in accordance with said programming data.

Abstract: A communications device suitable for use by severely handicapped persons having speech impairments and capable of only spastic movements comprises a housing in which speech reproduction apparatus is located for storing and reproducing pre-recorded audio message segments. The exterior of the housing has a nearly horizontal front portion on a console on which three relatively large (approximately 5".times.5") pressure-operated paddle switch actuator members are located. A vertical display panel is located immediately behind the paddle actuators and has on it visual aid cards which have a symbol identical to the recorded message which is to be reproduced by actuation of the appropriate paddle. Pressure on the selected paddle closes a switch which turns on a light associated with the selected visual aid card and also actuates the reproduction of an audio message corresponding to the visual aid card.

Abstract: An electronic teaching aid which enables a student viewing a visual display containing text material being read or studied to designate any words or portion of said text for immediate audible vocalization or alternatively to designate any word of said test for immediate visual display of the definition of said designated word.

Abstract: The present invention entails a body related teaching kit for teaching children letters of the alphabet, their sounds, and sounds of long and short vowels along with sounds of selected blends. More particularly the body related teaching kit of the present invention includes a sound recording device adapted to play a body alphabet song that relates letters of the alphabet or sounds of various letters to parts of the body. Also forming a part of the body related teaching kit of the present invention is one or more body figures with selected body parts being color coded in relationship to two sets of cards. One set of cards is referred to as poster cards or master cards that includes a particular letter or blend along with a diagrammatic sketch or pictorial representation of the related body part. In addition there is a set of drill cards having both the respective letters or blends thereon along with a representation of the respective body part represented.

Abstract: A reading teaching system for use with an audio-visual projection device. Lines of a textual passage are displayed in the baseline display portion of a display area. As each word is spoken the corresponding word in the baseline display portion is also displayed in the main display portion of the display area. Several speech parameters are conveyed by the manner in which the chosen word is displayed. The loudness or volume is represented by the size of the chosen word while the pitch is represented by the height of the chosen word above the baseline display portion. The speed at which each word is spoken is indicated by the spacing of the letters of the chosen word in the main display portion. The temporal spacing between the words is indicated by the spacing between the chosen words in the main display area. Other speech parameters, such as mood, can be indicated by special coloration or configuration of the illustrated chosen word.

Abstract: A game apparatus makes use of a tape recorder and a programmed microprocessor to provide a game sequence in accordance with data recorded on a magnetic tape and using message outputs in the form of a voice recording on the same magnetic tape.

Abstract: An electronic game board produces realistic sounds when game pieces are properly placed thereon. The board has different areas which may be representative of different environments. The game pieces are representative of animals or objects each of which is typically found in one of the environments represented. When a game piece is placed on the board in the environment where the real life animal or object is found, an electronic circuit within the game board is triggered to make the same sound the real life animal or object makes. A different sound is produced for each different animal or object.

Abstract: A programmed timer for presetting a video tape recorder for the time and reception channel when the video tape recorder starts and ends, comprising a processor circuit for processing the type of the data entered for reservation in a predetermined order, and means for sequentially displaying a procedure to be next entered each time data are entered. The operator is required to enter the necessary data simply according to the displayed procedure in order to set the desired reservation data for the programmed timer.

Abstract: An audio-visual educational aid which coordinates reading of textual material with an audio presentation of the material. An audio reproduction of the material is made on a recording medium together with audio player control signals. A student reader "reads along" with the audio reproduction, and is provided with a control button which he is to depress upon reaching the end of a predefined portion of textual material, such as the end of a line. If the button is not depressed within a pre-determined time, circuitry within the educational aid stops the audio player and prevents it from resuming until a restart button is depressed, and a punitive time delay has lapsed. The length of the time delay is increased with each stoppage of the player. Various additional features are incorporated into the educational aid to provide reinforcement to the reader.

Abstract: An interview or demonstration portfolio for prospective teachers and other professionals includes audiovisual components, demonstration slides and writings to highlight the competencies and performance skills of a candidate.

Abstract: Substituted phenyl and naphthyl esters of PGE.sub.1, 15-alkyl-PGE.sub.1, and 15(R)-15-alkyl-PGE.sub.1, and their racemic forms, and processes for producing them are disclosed. The products are useful for the same pharmacological and medical purposes as PGE.sub.1, 15-alkyl-PGE.sub.1, and 15(R)-15-alkyl-PGE.sub.1, and are also useful as a means for obtaining highly purified PGE.sub.1, 15-alkyl-PGE.sub.1, and 15(R)-alkyl-PGE.sub.1 products.