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Editor: Oliver Simões No. 4, April 2001 |
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In this Issue...
Our Product Line: Alarm Clocks
Questions? Do you have a friend or a relative that needs a little help with their hearing problem? Anyone you know that is in denial about their hearing loss? Sick and tired of grandma not being able to hear over the phone? Tell them about azhearing.com or recommend this newsletter.
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Corporate News: Azhearing.com Web Site Enhanced with Streaming Audio Now visitors to our web site can enjoy the richness of streaming audio. The new 1-minute audio program was professionally produced by AudioWebsites.com. It introduces the most relevant features of our site to new and returning visitors. The advantage of this particular streaming audio is that it does not require any special plug-ins nor does it delay the download time. You're probably wondering, "why audio in a site that caters to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing?" Well, hearing products make up only one half of our inventory. As stated in our previous newsletter, we are now selling low vision products, as well. So, audio capability will come in handy for those folks who are visually impaired and those individuals who are more auditory than visual. Check out this new enhancement at www.azhearing.com (not available on Netscape version 6.0). Assistech has three stores online for your convenience? They are: Regardless of where you choose to shop, you will find a great selection of items for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at reduced prices. Low vision products are available in all three store locations. Assistive Devices Network also features limited mobility products.
Our web site is listed in the three major directories (Yahoo, Looksmart, and OPD). We can also be found through GoTo.com and a number of search engines.
Why Use Assistive Listening Devices? - by Cheryl Davis, PhD
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Will provide live captions for people who have difficulty hearing during personal conversations, for professionals in business meetings, or for students in lecturesMADISON, WI -- Ultratec, Inc., has announced a new technology, currently undergoing consumer testing, which will enable people to receive live captions of what is being said during their conversations and interactions with others. The new technology, called Instant Captioning(TM), will provide the user with a written transcription of everything the other person in the conversation says. Instant Captioning is expected to provide clarity in interpersonal communications for people with hearing loss, by providing virtually real-time written text to accompany the spoken words. If the user has difficulty hearing what is said, he will be able to read the captions for clarification. Professionals, too, can use the service in meetings to take notes. Students using the service can benefit from having a printout of the lecture they are attending. The new Instant Captioning service is designed to work with a variety of devices, such as laptop or notebook computers, cellular phones with alphanumeric display screens or small hand-held instant captioning devices. The captions are displayed on the deviceºs built-in screen so the user can read the words while listening to what is spoken by the other party. Access to the captioning service is done via a cellular connection or a standard telephone line. Although this service can be used by anyone, it is expected to be particularly useful to persons who have moderate to severe hearing loss or who are deaf, allowing them to participate in conversations and other voice-based communication in a functionally equivalent way. To get captions, the user simply presses a key on the Instant Captioning device which dials the captioning service center. A specially-trained operator, or captionist, at the service center listens to the conversation through the Instant Captioning deviceºs built-in microphone. The operator transcribes everything that the other party says into text, using extremely powerful, customized voice recognition technology. The text is then transmitted back to the userºs Instant Captioning device over the same telephone connection, appearing in the form of written text on the deviceºs screen. The transcription occurs at virtually real-time speed, enabling the written text to appear on the userºs screen very closely to the speed at which it is spoken. "Sometimes people with hearing loss 'make do' by lip-reading or just plain guessing at what is being said, often having to ask questions or have people repeat themselves. With Instant Captioning, users participate fully in the conversation." explains Robert Engelke, President of Ultratec. "For people who rely on stenographers or interpreters, there are often difficulties with scheduling, availability, costs and minimum time requirements. Instant Captioning is a convenient and cost effective alternative, which is available on a moment's notice." Ultratec will demonstrate its new Instant Captioning technology over the next several weeks in North America and in Great Britain. Instant Captioning service is expected to become available on a limited basis in the middle of of 2001 through a separate organization. Instant Captioning is the latest in a series of new technologies announced by Ultratec that enable real-time captioning in situations that were never before possible or were cost prohibitive. Recently, Ultratec announced development of a Captioned Telephone(TM), which will provide live captions during telephone conversations. This technology is also expected to become available in mid 2001. (Reprinted with Ultratec's permission.) Do you have a personal story you would like to share? Are you a professional audiologist or specialist in diseases of the ear wanting to share your expertise? Please submit your article or story to the editor. Along with your article we will publish a short bio (3-5 lines long) in which you may include your personal and/or business information. We tend to favor articles that are educational and informative (rather than promotional). |
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