Developers Forum

Saturday, June 29, 2002
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Computer Tech Lab

RESNA and SIG-11 (Computer Applications) invite you to attend the Ninth Annual Developers Forum!!

The purpose of the Developers Forum is to provide an informal opportunity for product developers, researchers and manufacturers to get together with clinicians, RESNA attendees and end users to discuss new technology, provide feedback on existing technology, and formulate ideas for new products. The Forum focuses on products in the areas of computer software/hardware, augmentative communication and environmental control. This is an excellent opportunity for us to provide input into the development process. Developers need to know from clinicians and consumers what features and characteristics are important in a device. This is your chance to let them know!! All RESNA conference attendees are welcome!

Following is a list of the companies/organizations who will be participating in this year`s event along with the products they plan to demonstrate:

Bloorview MacMillan Centre
WordQ Writing Aid Software - WordQ Software is a writing tool used along with standard Windows word processing software to provide spelling, grammar, and punctuation assistance. It uses advanced word prediction to suggest words for you to use and provides spoken (text-to-speech) feedback. Users of all ages who have problems writing and editing can benefit, including those who have a learning disability (LD) such as Dyslexia, or who are leaming English as a second language (ESL).

Enkidu Research
Portable IMPACT Phone/Cell Phone - Enkidu researchers will demonstrate how the Handheld Portable IMPACT device can be used to place a voice call using an attached cellular phone of a direct phone line. New software features such as Morse code input, alternate symbol sets, and head tracer support will also be demonstrated.

Fonix Corp
DECtalk TTS - DECtalk is a software text-to-speech application that converts standard ASCII text into highly intelligible and natural-sounding speech. Supported languages include US English, UK English, Castilian Spanish, Latin American Spanish, German, and French (beta version). DECtalk is known for its very small footprint and support on many platforms, including Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000; Windows CE (MS HPC\SH3 MIPS x86EM; HPC Pro\ SH3 SH4 MIPS ARM x86EM; Palm-Size PC\MIPS 5143 x86EM; Pocket PC\ ARM MIPS 5H3 x86EM); and Linux.

JP Schnapper
Linux Operating System Accessibility Work - JP Schnapper-Casteras will demonstrate and discuss work being done by the open source community on the Linux operating System to provide visually-impaired, lowvision, and otherwise disabled users access to the free, open, and increasingly standard operating system and set of tools.

Koester Performance Research
Compass Functional Assessment Software - Compass functional assessment software is a tool for clinical professionals who provide support for computer access and augmentative communication evaluations. Compass can help diagnose difficulties with an existing interface; evaluate and compare the expected performance with potential access systems; plan training interventions; track changes in a client‘s abilities over time; and measure the effectiveness of an intervention.

Compass collects and helps clinicians interpret quantitative data relating to the skills needed for computer interaction, such as motor actions (e.g., keyboard, mouse) and cognitive/perceptual activities (e.g., simple decision making, target search). Compass can be used for both in-person interactions (where the dient visits the clinic or the clinician visits the dient‘s home) and remote interaction (as part of a telerehabiitation program).

Neural Signals, Inc.
Muscle Communicator - The Muscle Communicator detects miniscule electromyography (EMG) activity and translates it into computer cursor movements. Thus, people who have little or no controllable kinetic motion can navigate a graphical User Interface or perform text entry using an onscreen keyboard. The EMG signal is detected using surface electrodes positioned over top of the muscle. Three muscle sites are used, one for cursor movement in the x direction, another for y direction, and the third for mouse click.

Serotek Corporation
Freedombox - Freedombox is a universal intemet access device, giving users the power to browse and enjoy Intemet content and services using their voice, keyboard, or whatever input device they find most comfortable. Content is delivered by text-to-speech, Braille display or visually.

Trace Center
Remote Console; Voting Tablet Prototype - Center Director Dr. Gregg Vanderheiden, will demonstrate prototypes for a universal remote console. This research and development is part of the International Committee for Information Technology Standards and the Americal National Standards Institute technical committees to create standards for flexible user interfaces that allow personal devices to control products regardless of manufacturer. Dr. Vanderheiden will also demonstrate an accessible voting tablet prototype.

University of Pittsburgh
Wheelchair Joystick Proportional Mouse Emulation - This demonstration shows a powered wheelchair joystick and controller with an adapter that provides for proportional wireless mouse emulation. Performance is substantially faster than traditional wheelchair joystick mouse emulation.

Other supporters of the Developers Forum:

Ai Squared - ZoomText v7.11

Minomech Industries - Wireless Switch Extender, "Sip-n-Share" Switch

Madentec Ltd. - TrackerOne, Discover