Developing Deaf Product

[Quiescent]

Hello, my name is Jeremy, and I am currently developing a product to facilitate a more awareness of sounds in ones home. I call it the Audial Illuminator, and it is being developed with the help of Microchip, and Digikey though an electronics design contest. Information about the contest is available here: myPIC32 - myPIC32, my project is available here: myPIC32 - Contestant Profile

Audial Illuminator (A.I.) seeks to solve a problem I have experienced in my home. There lacks a comprehensive solution to translating sounds in the home to some other medium be it light, or vibrations. A.I. will tirelessly listen to the environment through the use of small microphones placed thought ones home. When the microphone "hears" an event it recognizes, a knock on the door, the door bell, a kitchen timer, or a baby crying, it will notify several small lights in varying color patterns.

For instance, say you the user has designated purple to signify the front door, and orange to signify the the kitchen timer. You may carry the small lighted device with you, or attach it to a wall. When someone knocks on the door, it will send a purple signal to all lighted devices. Its a simple solution to an everyday problem.

Now, I must request your help. The contest is tiered, where at each stage a vote from the community affects whether a specific project will more forward. Please log on to The Audial Illuminator Page and vote for the project. Furthermore, all design materials are available free on the project page. Anyone may download, and build their own A.I. system. By voting for this project, I feel, you are helping the whole deaf community further a great free product.

 

[purplecatty]

Good idea. I'm an electronic technician myself even I don't have degree. I had trainings 19 years ago and kinda forgotten some electronics logical design. But I still remember how it works.

You mentioned that Doorbell, kitchen timer, baby cry ect.. I remind you that the device must be responsive. I personally despise Alertmaster wireless system because it doesn't respond for 15 seconds then finally respond. My friend had wireless door knocker sensor, and other sensors. When I installed and tested those new devices. it doesn't do well and she missed alot of things.

I suggest that you develop the one that is responsive to any sounds quickly. There should be NO delays transmitting signal. Also have many different fequency channels or settings that keep device separate from deaf neighbors. Deaf people prefer reliable system that alerts them quickly without false signal.


So that's something you will need to think about, responsive transmitting system. You might want to try real life testing to fix the bugs like having deaf friends to test your devices. (many time developers test it themself and says it works fine while customer says it's a problem) Because everyday use can varies differently on everyone's home. Sometime tapping soup can on countertop can mimick door knocking. Or Patio chime may sound like doorbell rings or Telephone ringing came from TV show... So be aware that there may be false sound happens sometime.

I like the idea of carrying signalling devices but as for vibration, There must be a pattern for each sound groups. You can't just have one vibration for all.. Many deaf people relies on vibration patterns to know which is which without looking at the light or color of lights (akin to hearing people hears sound). Just like Tmobile Sidekick with many variety of vibration pulses they choose for Email, AIM, Text, and phone without checking what it was..

I've seen friend who also own Alertmaster and light blinks without light patterns and they HAD to check the box to see status light which is it, doorbell, baby cry, or telephone. It look retarded to me. . While Sonic Alert system just use light flashing patterns as signal to help deaf people to know which is which without checking box.

You might need a receivers for each lamp in every room with light flashing patterns because they don't stay in one room.

That's my suggestion.

Catty

 

[TechBill]

Here an idea I have dream up in the past but never put it to work so Ill share it with you and maybe you can use it in your project some day and your welcome to use all or any idea I put here.

My idea was a

Wireless Central unit with ethernet networking connect to the internet and run on it own OS software which is accessable via ssh or telnet also it have a built in web server and email server. The email so the unit can email to your computer or cellphone letting you know someone rang the doorbell or there was a noise in your home that needed your attention. And web server allowing you to log on and review the logs of noises it detected or make some changes on the sensivitiy or settings etc.

Then seconardy devices

Wireless Sensors - Those are placed like a wireless doorbell and wireless microphone which can be placed in baby room and another wireless micophone placed in kicthen (to alert when the microwave is done cooking etc)

Wireless Alert Readout - I would say it a small pager size LCD readout with a strobe LED light. You know ones that are used as a flasher for cell phone camera which is not a real strobe light but a led that actually flashes bright like a strobe so it is visable from the tabletop and a vibratator built in in case they carry it on them person. This way so when the strobe flashes or the pager vibrate then the deaf person can go pick it up and read the LCD display which would inform the person where the sound is coming from etc or someone at the door etc. I would make it total confirgurable via PC hook up to USB so they could set to flash at least 10 times and repeat it again in 10 seconds etc.

I do know there are such devices avaiables now days and it called X10 devices but it still doesn't quite fit deaf needs but very close to it and it very costly too.


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[GraysonPeddie]

You need to add FilterLincs (to help prevent signal-sucking devices such as your TV, videphone, computer, etc.) and BoosterLincs (to help boost X10 signals for larger installations of X10. So it's not very reliable. Some devices can be turned on/off unattended.

Insteon (powerline/RF), Z-Wave (RF), UPB (powerline) and others are more reliable devices for home automation, but one of the most commonly known by CocoonTech are Insteon, UPB, and Z-Wave.

X10 has been available since 1975 and no improvements have been made except SmartLabs, Inc., a parent company of Insteon and SmartHome. As far as I know, SmartLabs improves on X10 technology since year 2000.

Although I don't want to turn this thread into home automation technologies, it doesn't hurt to remind everyone about X10 technology.