Features List: Tufftalker by Words+, Inc.

Questions related to Dedicated devices: (Integrated hardware and software)

Programming may be done directly on the device? YES

Can a page be saved and then used as a template for creating another page? YES

Can individual pages be backed up and shared using a computer? YES

Can an entire user set of pages be backed up and shared using a computer? YES

Can individual pages be edited on a computer and then transferred to the device? YES

Can an entire user set of pages be edited on a computer and then transferred to the device? YES

 

Built in Access:

Integrated touch screen? YES

Touch screen activated by a finger touch or is a stylus or finger nail needed? FINGER TOUCH OR STYLUS — BOTH WORK

Adjustable touch screen features to allow user to drag hand across touch screen without false activations? YES

Active Matrix display? YES

Color or Monochrome display? COLOR OF YOUR CHOICE — CAN CHANGE BACKGROUND AS WELL AS COLORS OF LETTERING

Back lit screen? NO *YES

Adjustable view angle and brightness? *Brightness Yes. Not sure what view angle is

Glare guard? NO *The screen has low glare surface

Screen size? 8.4"

Screen pixels? 800x600TFT *This is the default. Can be adjusted much higher

Screen colors? 32 bit

Optical head pointer of some type? Please specify. NO not optical *Is compatible with many. Headmouse, Tracker etc.

Built in switch jacks? how many? 2

Switch access for turning the device on and off? NO

Volume controlled through hardware? YES

Volume controlled through software? NO

Joystick or multiple switch access port for directional control? YES

Direct output to a printer? YES

Input/output to computer? Specify type of connection. IT ALREADY IS A FULL FUNCTIONING COMPUTER

Other ports? Please specify. SERIAL, USB,

Strategic placement of connectors and ports that could be damage by weather? PROVIDED WITH STURDY CARRYING CASE THAT COVERS ALL OF THE DEVICE AND PROTECTS IT — ALL PORTS ARE COVERED WITH A SMALL PLASTIC PIECE

 

Size, Weight, Capacity, Price and Battery Life:

Dimensions? 9" X 7 _ " X 3"

Weight? 4.7 LBS.

Price? $7495 with Eloquence and $7695 with DECtalk

Capacity: Recording time?

Capacity: Number of pages/boards or symbols? UNLIMITED

Capacity: Upgradable? Please explain. CAN GET ADDITIONAL RAM — FREE UPGRADES FOR LIFE ON SOFTWARE

Battery life at rest? 2-2 _ HOURS

Battery life with continual use? 2 HOURS — MORE WITH PORTA POWER PLUS BATTERY ADAPTER — AN ADDITIONAL 4 HOURS

Full battery charge time if applicable? 2 HOURS

Type of battery? LITHIUM ION

Able to be connected to wheelchair battery? YES

 

Mounting and Case Options:

Briefly describe carrying case and mounting options for this device.

COMES WITH CUSTOM MADE CASE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO ACCESS TOUCH SCREEN — THIS DEVICE IS VERY DURABLE — THE TUFFTALKER PLUS IS EXTREMELY DURABLE

Questions about Software: please specify platform: Dedicated Device

Macintosh, Windows, Windows CE, Palm OS, other? WINDOWS 98, 2000, ME, XP

Is there specific hardware recommended or is there bundled pricing with a particular piece of Hardware? please specify. YOU CAN CHOOSE TALKING SCREEN FOR WINDOWS OR SPEAKING DYNAMICALLY PRO — THIS COMES WITH THE TUFFTALKER

Software price? $1395 PLUS VOICE SYNTHESIZER $899 FOR DECtalk AND $699 FOR ELOQUENCE

Bundled with hardware price? SAME AS MENTIONED ABOVE

 

Access Options:

Touch screen and mouse access option? YES

Optical head pointer with delayed activation? NO

Adjustable touch screen features to allow user to drag hand across touch screen without false activations? YES

Single switch automatic scanning? YES ON TUFFTALKER PLUS

Single switch inverse scanning? YES ON TUFFTALKER PLUS

Single switch step scanning with time delay? YES ON TUFFTALKER PLUS

Two switch step scanning? YES ON TUFFTALKER PLUS

Row column scanning? YES ON TUFFTALKER PLUS

Group item scanning? NO

Joystick or multiple switch access for directional control. YES — TUFFTALKER PLUS

Auditory scan? YES — TUFFTALKER PLUS

Auditory scan with option for a different prompt than the message? YES — TUFFTALKER PLUS

Option to have separate speakers for auditory scan and main voice? YES

Auditory touch or auditory label without activation until second touch for individual's with visual impairment to search the display? Yes — You can change the name on the icon as well as make the auditory prompt anything you want to say

Zoom or enlargement feature upon search or activation? YES

Switch control for turning device on and off. NO

Touch or mouse access also active during switch access? NO

Can multiple access methods be combined on one page? For example switches for next and back and scanning for vocabulary items. NO

Environmental control from display? YES IN NEAR FUTURE

Transparent computer access? (works with any computer software) NO

Wireless computer access option? NO

 

Software Design:

Message bar for text? YES

Message bar for text and pictures? YES WITH SDP, NO WITH TALKING SCREEN

Option for no message bar? YES

Individual buttons hold only text? YES

Individual buttons hold text and graphic on the same button? YES

Individual buttons can hold text, graphic and commands on the same button? YES

Individual buttons may contain a message and a command function such as branching? YES

When graphics are used, what are text options: #characters, font size and # of lines? VARIES WITH SIZE OF BUTTONS — CAN BE VERY LARGE AND ONLY HAVE TWO BUTTONS PER PAGE — CAN GO UP TO VERY SMALL _ INCH SQUARE BUTTONS

Is text size determined on each button or globally for all buttons?GLOBALLY ON ALL ON TALKING SCREEN — CAN BE INDIVIDUAL ON SPEAKING DYNAMICALLY PRO

What are options for graphic size: variable or pre-set - such as small medium and large? VARIABLE

Are graphic size options determined on each button or globally for all buttons? VARIABLE FOR EACH BUTTON

Buttons are arranged on a selected grid - all buttons are the same size? Please specify grid options. MANY OPTIONS FOR BOTH SOFTWARE PROGRAMS — TALKING SCREEN HAS ALL BUTTONS SAME SIZE ON EACH PAGE

May buttons be of varying sizes on the same page? YES WITH SDP, NO WITH TALKING SCREEN

May button information be copied and pasted or swapped with another button on the same page? YES FOR SDP, CAN SWAP ON TALKING SCREEN BUT CANNOT COPY AND PASTE

Can buttons be easily re-sized and rearranged on the page? YES ON SDP, NO ON TALKING SCREEN

May buttons may be arranged in scanning groups? YES ON SDP, NO ON TALKING SCREEN

Do buttons that branch have a visual difference that indicates it will Branch (Is this changeable or set?) YES

With the function: Go to Previous page, does the software remember sequence of at least the last 5 pages so the user doesn't get stuck in a loop when there is more than one next page to branch to on a topic? YES

A single button or series of buttons can be copied from one page with all attributes and pasted onto another page. This is a valuable tool for updating multiple pages. YES — USE IMPORT FUNCTION IN TALKING SCREEN

Is there a "chat mode" or some way for user to activate speech to talk with someone without placing that text into the display message that the user is working on, but then continue working after the chat YES WITH SDP, NO WITH TALKING SCREEN

Price? TUFFTALKER IS $7495.00 WITH ELOQUENCE, $7695.00 WITH DECTALK

TUFFTALKER PLUS IS $9695.00 WITH ELOQUENCE, $9895.00 WITH DECTALK

 

Symbol set options:

Ability to create and add your own symbols ( please note if this may be done on the dedicated device or only on the computer and downloaded to the device.) YES — CAN BE DONE DIRECTLY ON THE DEVICE (WHICH IS A COMPUTER)

Ability to use black and white symbols with colored background that leaves the symbol white? YES

Ability to use colored symbols? YES

Ability to add digitized photos? YES

Standard symbols included? Please specify type: YES — MAYER-JOHNSON

Symbol sets available for additional cost? Please specify options: PCS, Imaginart, Pictograms: MAYER-JOHNSON — HAVE QUICKPAGES FOR TALKING SCREEN THAT ARE PRE-MADE SETS FOR DIFFERENT AGES

Pre-designed sets of vocabulary available? Please Specify: YES, QUICKPAGES FOR TALKING SCREEN AND WITH SPEAKING DYNAMICALLY PRO YOU CAN USE ANY OF THE MAYER-JOHNSON SYMBOL SETS

Icon prediction for two symbol sequencing? YES — THROUGH THE GROUPS IN TALKING SCREEN

Ability to mark symbols to be retrieved in a search by the user? NO

Word prediction? YES WITH SPEAKING DYNAMICALLY PRO

User defined dictionaries? NO

Grammar prediction? NO WITH TALKING SCREEN, YES WITH SDP

Picture / Word Prediction? NO

Speech:

Synthesized text to speech? (for spelling and sounding out words) Please specify type: DECTALK OR ELOQUENCE

Digitized (recorded) speech? YES

Option for buttons to speak upon activation? YES

Option for buttons not to speak when activated, but wait for speak display function to activate speech? YES

Can sounds be recorded within the program as needed or do they need to be saved and imported? THEY NEED TO BE SAVED AND IMPORTED

May separate voices be used for auditory scan and main voice? YES

 

General information about manufacturer:

Do they have a network of trainers? YES

Cost and availability of training? FREE 4 HOURS AT SET-UP

How much training is usually needed/recommended to get up and running with the device? 3-4 HOURS

What is average repair time? 3-4 DAYS

Are loaners or rentals available? YES

What tech support is available? 24 HOURS, 7 DAYS A WEEK

Ease of programming? (I'm not sure how to ask this!) EASY IF PROVIDED TRAINING CORRECTLY

 

Other:

Age appropriateness look? NO REAL CHANGE DEPENDING ON THE AGE

Questionaire filled out by: Teresa Westerbur Technology Access, Inc.

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