A COMPUTER AUDIO-VISUAL INDICATOR FOR HEARING IMPAIRED PEOPLE

THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES SUBTOPIC 1.D "DEVELOPMENT OR ADAPTION OF A COMPUTER CHIP\BOARD OR RESIDENT MEMORY SOFTWARE TO PROVIDE VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF COMPUTER- GENERATED SOUND CUES, SUCH AS BEEPS AND BUZZES, FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HEARING IMPAIRED." IT IS PROPOSED THAT A HALF-CARD AND CONTROLLING MEMORY- RESIDENT SOFTWARE WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR IBM-TYPE PC AND AT COMPUTERS. THIS HALF-CARD WILL TAP THE 8-BIT BUS, PROCESS THE INFORMATION INTENDED FOR THE AUDIO SPEAKER, AND RELAY ITTO AN EXTERNAL VISUAL AND/OR VIBRATORY ALERTING DEVICE THROUGH INEXPENSIVE TELEPHONE CABLE. THE FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE SYSTEM WILL BE ]DEVELOPED THROUGH DISCUSSION WITH HEARING IMPAIRED COMPUTEREXPERTS AT GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY AND THE NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF (NTID). THIS RESEARCH WILL RESULT IN A DEVICE WHICH WILL CONVERT COMPUTER AUDIO INTO VISUAL OR TACTILE SIGNALS. IT WILL BE EMPLOYED BY DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING PERSONAL COMPUTER USERSTO ALERT THEM OF COMPUTER AUDIO SIGNALS. IT WILL BE MANUFACTURED AND MARKETED BY PHONE TTY AND WILL HAVE A RETAIL PRICE OF ABOUT $100.