Lightwriter Models SLxx series Manual sw ver 5.9 onwards Nov 2009

SECTION 1: BASICS 4 Care of the Equipment ---------------------------------- 5 Cleaning --------------------------------------------------- 5 Keyboard -------------------------------------------------- 6 Q we r t y t o A b c d e... 8 Displays --------------------------------------------------- 9 If the display is VFD ... 9 Battery ---------------------------------------------------- 10 Capacity ...10 Charger --------------------------------------------------- 10 Guarantee ------------------------------------------------ 11 Returning the Equipment ...11 Insurance ...11 Servicing ...11 Problems? ------------------------------------------------ 12 Therapists! ...12 Aircraft ...12 Help ------------------------------------------------------- 13 Special needs ------------------------------------------- 14 A u d i t o r y B r o ws e...®... 1 4 Several Lightwriters ...14 Keyboard ...14 Teaching ...14 R e m o t e S wi t c h e s... 1 4 P r e d i c t i o n S wi t c h e s... 1 4 Blind ...15 In the Dark ...15 Limited Movement ...15 SECTION 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM 16 Overview-------------------------------------------------- 16 List ...17 Restore the Suggested Examples ...17 Retrospective Saving ...17 Direct-Memories ----------------------------------------- 18 Number-memories ...18 Control ...18 Words, Phrases, Controls ...19 Abbreviation-expansions ------------------------------ 20 Control ...21 Making changes ----------------------------------------- 22 Saving ...22 Replacing...22 Erasing ...22 Duplicating ...22 Notes on the Memory-s ystem ------------------------- 23 Ideas ...23 Print the Mems ...23 Mem Speed ...23 Size ...24 Backups ...24 Speedwriting --------------------------------------------- 26 SmartKeys ------------------------------------------------ 27 Deliver a speech ---------------------------------------- 28 SECTION 3: USER'S GUIDE 30 Speech ---------------------------------------------------- 31 Say That Again ...31 Basics ...31 Volume ...31 Speak ...31 S p e e c h E xc e p t i o n s... 3 2 Specials ...32 Pauses ...32 Dates ...32 Phone ...32 Spell one W ord ...33 E xt e r n a l S p e a k e r... 3 3 Controls ...33 Dual -W ords ...33 More about DECt alk...33 Problems? ...33 2nd Conversation --------------------------------------- 34 MiniPrint er ----------------------------------------------- 35 Style ...35 Print 'Helps' ...35 Print Memories ...35 Problems? ...35 Word prediction ----------------------------------------- 36 SL35/38 Predictions ...36 SL87/88 Predictions ...36 'Scan' screen -------------------------------------------- 37 Message ...37 Predictions ...37 Other ------------------------------------------------------ 38 Key touch...38 Tremor ...38 Replay ...38 Repeat-keys ...38 Mem Cont rol ...39

Calculator ... 39 Case... 39 Symbols ... 40 S m a r t T e xt... 4 0 E xt e r n a l K e y b o a r d... 4 0 Remote Display ... 40 Editing ... 41 SECTION 4: SETUPS 42 Lock------------------------------------------------------- 42 User------------------------------------------------------- 42 Advanced ------------------------------------------------ 42 Expert ---------------------------------------------------- 42 Setup Notes ... 43 Functions ------------------------------------------------ 44 Setup list ------------------------------------------------ 45 Helps ... 45 The Options ... 45 SECTION 5: REFERENCE 50 Specifications ... 50 A c c e s s o r i e®s... 5 0 Lightwriter to Computer ... 51 Software Version ... 51 E xt e r n a l D e v i c e s - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 2 > ports ---------------------------------------------------- 52 Printer ... 52 Display ... 52 Scanner ... 52 Computer ... 52 Speech ... 53 Keyboard... 53 > other --------------------------------------------------- 53 S wi t c h e s... 5 3 E xt e r n a l s p e a k e r... 5 3 Macros --------------------------------------------------- 54 Record ... 54 Recall ... 54 Erase... 55 Synthesisers -------------------------------------------- 56 E xt e r n a l... 5 6 R e m o t e S wi t c h - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5 7 Tunes ----------------------------------------------------- 58 Tunes ... 58 Compose ... 58 Play... 58 Musical-keys ... 59 Sounds --------------------------------------------------- 60 Buzz ... 60 Save/Load Setup Groups ----------------------------- 61 International Setups ----------------------------------- 62 Languages ... 62 SECTION 6: SCAN and MORSE 64 Scan ------------------------------------------------------ 64 SETTING UP ... 64 USE... 65 Morse ----------------------------------------------------- 68 SETTING UP ... 68 USE... 68 The codes ... 71 SECTION 7: TROUBLE-SHOOTING 72 Serial/RS232 -------------------------------------------- 74 Re-build the system ----------------------------------- 75 Restart ... Error! Bookmark not defined. Restore Factory Setups ... 75 Undo Memory-changes ... 75 Erase All Memories ... 75 As new... 75 Memory Areas ------------------------------------------- 75 SECTION 8: SAFETY ISSUES 76 Statement of Intended Use --------------------------- 76 Ingress of Fluids --------------------------------------- 76 Safety Precautions ------------------------------------- 76 Accessories ... 77 Charger ... 77 Mounting ... 77 Decontamination---------------------------------------- 79

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SECTION 1: BASICS THE MANUAL IS DIVIDED INTO 8 SECTIONS:

1. Basics

An introduction to the Lightwriter®.

2. Memories

How to use the memory system.

3. User's Guide

Detailed information on the Lightwriter®'s feature

4. Setups

Adjust the Lightwriter® to suit the user.

5. Reference

Advanced features.

6. Scan and Morse

Description of the Scan and Morse systems.

7. Troubleshooting

Problems?

8. Safety

Intended Use, Mounting, Decontamination, etc.

>> Looking at the left side

>> Looking at the right side Charger light

Charger-socket Port-1 Switch1 Scan-1 Switch2 Scan-2

External speaker

• Charger Use ONLY the charger supplied (9VDC 800mA, positive tip). • Insert printer, scanner, computer-connection etc into Port (1) (or Port (2) if fitted) — the Port also needs to be set up, and this is described later. • Use External Speaker for one of our External-speakers, or for direct connection to a speaker. • Switch1 and Switch2 are for use with REMOTE SWITCHES or the PLUG-IN SCAN MODULE, as follows: Remote Switches: Plug-in Scan Module:

Perform one function such as print, sound an alarm, or recall a memory — see page 57 for details. Powerful row-column scanning — see page 64 for details.

>> The model and serial-number are to be found on the label on the bottom of the Lightwriter®. This label also gives details of the speech fitted.

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5

GO! ®

• Lightwriter does not switch on at all? Is the battery charged? If so — see page 75. ® • You can use the Lightwriter with the charger connected, if you wish. • Press On/C and type — it will speak each word when Space is pressed (if speech is fitted and the setup is Speak: Each Word). • Press Replay (bottom-right key). SETUPS ®

• These allow you to configure the Lightwriter to suit a wide variety of users — experiment, this is the best way to learn! • Watch the display while you do it, you can probably work out what's going on. • Press MEM then Replay to enter the setup-system at the 'User level', then Shift then Fullstop to go to the 'Advanced level'; (there is also an 'Expert level' as you will see later, in Section 4). • At all levels, use Fullstop, Space and Back-space to navigate the list, and + to change the current setup; press On/C to save-and-quit. MEMORIES

• Press MEM 1, or MEM H — there are 14 of these 'suggested' memories. • Type PLEASE COMB MY HAIR then MEM MEM H Y then Space then MEM H — you have replaced the original MEM H. • Type ADR=87 WATERBEACH RD then MEM MEM + Y then Space then ADR Space — this is another kind of memory, called "Abbreviation-expansion Memory". SHIFT

• Press Shift then 2 and 3 — note that only the first key is shifted. • Press Shift Shift then 2, 3, and 4 — note that all keys are shifted. • Press Shift again then 2 — now it's un-shifted; watch the indicator at left end of the display. RESTORE ®

• To put the Lightwriter back to 'as new' — see page 75 for details.

Care of the Equipment • Do not drop — this is a delicate instrument. • Arrange a suitable mounting-system, if required. • Charge the battery overnight if in use, every month if not in use.

Cleaning • • • •

®

Use a damp cloth to clean; do not get water in the Lightwriter . Do not use solvents, especially on the displays. To clean the keyboard — see page 8. ® To decontaminate the Lightwriter — see page 79.

THIS IS ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW TO START USING THE LIGHTWRITER® EFFECTIVELY. WORK THROUGH THE REST OF THE MANUAL LATER, TO GET THE MOST OUT OF IT.

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(Section1: BASICS)

Keyboard lower case

UPPER case SCREWS GREEN SPACER

HELLO how are you? On/C

Off

1 !

2 "

3 /

4 =

5%

Q

W

E

R

T

Y

U

A SHIFT

Fit neckstrap here

To get the 'other' symbols, press Shift first

S Z

D X

F C

G V

H B

6 ;

I J

N

O K

M

7 &

P L

Space

9 (

8 ' + ? .

-

Ø )

MEMORY

Mem * BUZZ

,

REPLAY Key-surround

HANDLE

BACK-SPACE

• The two keys to the right of L can be altered to suit the country — see page 62 for details. • Here is a description of the main keys — as will be explained later, combinations of these will produce other functions: ON/C ®

• This key turns the Lightwriter on — unless the battery is totally flat! ® • If the Lightwriter is already 'on', press it to clear the screen. • Use this mode with caution, it means that the last message reappears (and it might be rude!): ®

You can have the Lightwriter wake up with the previous message. To do this, change the setup to Wake-up: Message — see page 45. In this mode, to clear the message, press the On/C key a second time.

• In either 'Wake-up' mode, to recall an accidentally-cleared message, press Replay after On/C (and no other key in between). OFF ®

• This key turns the Lightwriter off; if you have saved one or more new memories, ® the display will show Backing Up — the Lightwriter is making an automatic backup! (VFD displays may not show this). ® • The Lightwriter turns itself off if unused — you can vary this time-out: see section 4 for details. • Hold the key down for 15 seconds to clear a 'jammed' condition, or other fault. • Using the 20 sec auto-off setting means that you may never have to press the Off key! SPACE

• Press Space to put a gap after a word — and to speak the last word, if speech is fitted. • If you would prefer the message not to be spoken when you press Space but only when you press Replay — see section 4 for details.

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BUZZ

• Press Buzz to sound the buzzer — to attract attention. • Press Shift then Buzz for a 'higher level of urgency'. • Both sounds can be altered — see page 60 for details. SHIFT

• The Shift key accesses the symbols above the numbers, and UPPER-case letters if you are using lower-case — see page 39 for details. • Press ONCE: the next key only will be shifted. • Press TWICE and all subsequent keys will be shifted until the shift-mode is cancelled (by pressing the Shift key again) — watch the Display. Example Example

Press once then type + to produce 'minus' Press once then type 2345 to produce "345. Press twice then 2345 to produce "/=%. ®

• There are therefore 3 modes for shift; they are an integral part of the Lightwriter — familiarise yourself with how they work! Not shifted

The shift symbol does not appear on the display and pressing a ® number displays a number — and (if the Lightwriter is set for lower-case) a letter displays a lower-case letter — see LOWER CASE, page 39.

Shift once

The shift symbol appears on the display and the next key ONLY is shifted — and the shift-mode is then cancelled.

Shift lock

The shift-lock symbol appears on the display and all keys are shifted — and the shift-mode must be cancelled by pressing the shift-key a third time.

MEM

• Pressing MEM once means "recall a memory” — the status-symbol is

*

• Pressing MEM twice means "save a memory" — see page 22 for details. • Pressing MEM three times means "do something special" — see page 44 for details. • Pressing MEM a 4th time means "cancel memory-mode". • All modes will automatically cancel after a few seconds, and this time is adjustable — see section 4 for details. REPLAY

• The Replay key replays the message; if you have typed more than 250 characters, it will replay the last 250 — if you find the message starts in the middle of a word, this is why! • Replay will normally speak the message as fluidly as possible (if speech is fitted). • You can have the message scroll across the screen before it is spoken — see page 38 for details. DELETE A WORD

• Press MEM followed by Back-space to delete the word before the cursor. REPEATING KEYS

• SPACE, BACK-SPACE, FULLSTOP, PLUS, MINUS, and EXCLAMATION MARK are repeating keys. • To adjust the Key repeat speed — see Section 4. FORCE

• The keys can be set so they must be held down a while to make them operate; the apparent effect is that they are 'stiffer' — see Section 4 for details.

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TREMOR

• They can be set so they are ignored after having been operated once, to avoid ttttttttttthhhhhhiiiss ppppprobblem — see Section 4 for details. CLEANING

• THIS KEYBOARD WILL PERFORM BADLY IF EXPOSED TO FOOD, DRINK, ETC. • To dismantle: Remove the key-surround or keyguard with the screwdriver provided (work on a clear, flat surface). Remove the dirty keys. Wash the keys (leave them damp, the water will help them 'pop on'). Take care not to get ® water in the Lightwriter . ® Refit the keys; if the Lightwriter is 'on', this will give you confirmation of what each key does. Refit key-surround. NEVER OVERTIGHTEN THE SCREWS.

• If this is a frequent problem, fit a keyboard Glove, or a Raincoat which covers the ® entire Lightwriter . KEYGUARD

• Two green spacers are supplied, these raise the Key-surround to prevent more than one key being pressed at the same time. • To fit or remove: Slacken the 4 black screws with the screwdriver provided (work on a clear, flat surface). Raise the key-surround sufficiently to insert or remove the two green spacers. Refit key-surround. NEVER OVERTIGHTEN THE SCREWS. ® Fit them whenever it is important that the Lightwriter does not turn on in transit. ® When fitted, the keycaps may 'tilt' if the Lightwriter is knocked; press the keycaps down firmly at the corners when this happens, and after a little use they will 'seat themselves'.

• If this 'keyguarding' is insufficient, we offer a deeper one. QWERTY TO ABCDE

• To change the keyboard layout from QWERTY to ABCDE (or vice versa): • FIRST, change the setup Keyboard: ®

Press On/C to turn the Lightwriter on. With a clear screen, type the word EXPERT. Press MEM then Replay. The display shows "Expert Setups". Press K repeatedly until the setup is 'Keyboard'. Press '+' repeatedly until the setup is 'Keyboard: ABCDE'. Press On/C.

• NEXT, move the keytops: Remove the key-surround or keyguard (work on a clear, flat surface). Wash the keys (leave them damp, the water will help them 'pop on'). Take care not to get ® water in the Lightwriter . ® Replace the keys in the new positions. If the Lightwriter is 'on', this will give you confirmation of what each key does. Refit key-surround. NEVER OVERTIGHTEN THE SCREWS.

• A screwdriver is available to remove the 4 screws, and this has both Posi 0 and Posi 1 blades to suit the different screwheads in use. • This will be sent to you free of charge if you quote the serial number of your ® Lightwriter .

(Section1: BASICS)

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Displays • The symbols at the left end of the Displays are as follows for LCD: Symbol:Small square Symbol:Large square Symbol:Colon Symbol:Flashing arrow Symbol:Dot #

"Shift-once" — see page 7 for details. "Shift-lock" — see page 7 for details. "Symbols" mode — see page 40 for details. "On"; can be hidden — see page 42 for details. "Battery getting low" — charge when convenient. "2nd Conversation" — see page 34 for details. ®

• To have your message appear on the User-Display only, turn the Lightwriter 'on' like this: On/C Shift On/C — this is called the 2nd-conversation mode — see page ® 34. If the Lightwriter is already 'on', press Shift On/C. IF THE DISPLAY IS VFD

• The differences are: Symbol:Solid square Symbol:Dot in a circle

“Shift-lock” “Battery getting low”

• The (default) setup VFD:Automatic will combine maximum brightness with powersaving; you can also select Bright or Dim — see Section 4 for details.

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Battery • When the low-battery symbol appears on the left side of the Display, it is time to charge the battery with the charger supplied — but there is plenty of power 'in reserve' if needed. • Charge the battery — overnight if in use, every three months if not in use. ® • The charger-socket is on the side of the Lightwriter — keep the battery charged! ® • The Lightwriter turns itself off if unused — you can vary this time-out to save power; for details see Section 4. CAPACITY

• The time between charges depends on the displays fitted; to a lesser extent, ® Lightwriters with no speech will last longer: Both displays LCD 1 LCD, 1 VFD Both displays VFD

Approx 10 hours Approx 7 hours Approx 4 hours

• These figures are for CONTINUOUS use — often several days of normal use.

Charger • Charge overnight after use — regular charging prolongs battery-life. Use it with the charger plugged in if you wish. ® • You may leave the Lightwriter on charge for several days without harm — take it off charge next morning if possible. • Use the charger supplied — other chargers are unsuitable. ® • A car charging-lead is available — this charges the Lightwriter from a car cigarettelighter socket. • If you plan to travel, you need a 230 volt charger for Europe, Australia, New Zealand, etc. • For a fuller explanation, see: http://kropla.com/electric2.htm

• If you buy a charger yourself, it must have an output of 9VDC at least 800mA — and the jack-plug dimensions must be 5.5mm barrel, 2.1mm pin, and 12.0mm long. • If in doubt, check the voltage in the country you are going to; the frequency (cyclesper-second, or 'Hz') is immaterial. • The charger may become warm in normal use.

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11

Guarantee ®

• The Lightwriter is guaranteed for 24 months from the date of supply. Exceptions

Mechanical damage, eg dropping. Abuse. ® Unauthorised removal of the back of the Lightwriter .

• A 6-year guarantee is available (UK ONLY) — this extends the guarantee by a further 4 years. RETURNING THE EQUIPMENT

•

If you need to return the equipment to your supplier, here is what to do: ®

Pack the Lightwriter and its charger with plenty of protection, preferably in the original box. Ensure the ON button cannot be pressed in transit. Tape up the parcel securely. Return all the equipment (including charger) to your supplier. Address it clearly and put the sender's name and address on the back. Enclose a note to say who it is from, and why, and supply the RETURN ADDRESS.

•

Ring, or send a letter separately, quoting: Your name, address and phone-number. The serial number (on the back). The account number (if known). The date of dispatch. The faults (or reason for return). The company-name of courier.

• If you would like us to arrange to have your machine picked up, please ring us — a charge will be made for this, even if it is a guarantee repair. • The equipment is at your risk during transit, even after a sale-or-return trial; you can take out your own insurance. INSURANCE

• You may wish to insure the equipment — many companies offer policies to cover this type of equipment against Fire, Theft and Accidental Damage. You may be able to include it on your House Contents Policy. SERVICING ®

• The Lightwriter is extremely reliable if treated properly. • By far the most frequent cause of damage is mechanical abuse (dropping it, knocking it about, coffee-spillage, etc). • The equipment does not need regular maintenance, and is designed to give many years of trouble-free use. • We recommend that faulty equipment is returned to us for repair, as we can do this quickly and economically. • We undertake to carry a full range of spare parts for this model for at least 5 years, or to supply a newer model or circuitry at our cost.

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Problems? ®

• If the Lightwriter 'locks up' and the keyboard won't respond, press Off then On/C. ® • If the Lightwriter works but won't behave as expected — see page 75. • If the battery runs completely flat (for example if stored in a cupboard), connect the charger: then, after a few minutes, press Off and hold it down for 15 seconds or ® more, then release, and wait: the Lightwriter should start up after a few seconds — continue to charge for at least 4 hours. • For further help — see TROUBLESHOOTING, Section 7. THERAPISTS!

• A short 'confidence-building' session with the user will be helpful — emphasise the simplicity; some users may find the equipment daunting. • We appreciate that some users will be unable to read this Manual — we have ® designed the Lightwriter to be as simple as possible. • The user may therefore be relying on you for a summary — draw some simple diagrams, write a few notes and explain through conversation; use all three methods of communication so that the user can 'build a picture'. • The user may need a follow-up a few days or weeks later — check that all the settings are still appropriate. AIRCRAFT

• Airlines are becoming increasingly aware that electrical equipment used by passengers can interfere with the aircraft navigation system. Most airlines prohibit the use of mobile phones at all times during the flight because they can cause interference — phones are particularly problematic in this respect. • If you are asked by the cabin-crew not to use electrical equipment during parts of the flight such as take-off or landing, you should also refrain from using the ® Lightwriter during these times. Use the alphabet-card supplied. ® • Carry the Lightwriter as hand-luggage and not in a suitcase or bag; show airportsecurity staff how it works — this may make the security-check faster. • In any event, allow an extra 15 minutes in case there are problems. ® • The Lightwriter will not be affected by the security X-ray machines.

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Help • The setups have individual 'helps': press ? while in setups! • The setup AuditoryBrowse: On may be useful for beginners, as the MEM 5 list and all setups will be spoken. ® • The Lightwriter also has a built-in 'help' system — use this as a 'memory-jogger': Press MEM MEM MEM H to run the on-line 'help' system. Press 1 to 9 to go to the section you want. Press any key to pause (except the keys below). Press Replay to replay the section. Press Ø to return to the Index. Press P to print all sections — make sure that a printer is set up. Press On/C to leave the help-system.

• Here is a printout of the on-screen help sections: 0: HELPS. 1=BROWSE. 2=MEMORIES. 3=SPEECH. 4=CALCULATOR. 5=SYMBOLS. 6=PRINTING. 7=SOUNDS. 8=SETUPS. 9=OTHER. 1: BROWSE. PRESS "2" TO "9" TO GO TO A SECTION, "REPLAY" TO REPEAT IT, "0" TO GET BACK TO THE INDEX, "P" TO PRINT ALL, "ON" TO ESCAPE. 2: MEMORIES. ENTER TEXT TO SAVE (E.G. "FOOD") THEN "MEM MEM" AND THE KEY TO SAVE IT ON (E.G. "MEM MEM F"). (ABBREVIATION-EXPANSION) ENTER ABBREVIATION=TEXT (E.G. "FØ=CABBAGE" OR "F42=FISH AND CHIPS") THEN "MEM MEM +". TO RECALL, TYPE THE ABBREVIATION (F42) THEN A SPACE. 3: SPEECH. TO ADJUST, SEE SECTION 8. TO STORE A SPEECH-EXCEPTION, ENTER !TEXT=PRONOUNCIATION (E.G. "!SEAN=SHORN" THEN "MEM MEM +"). 4: CALCULATOR. "ON" THEN EXPRESSION (E.G. 2+3) THEN "=" TO CALCULATE. EQUATIONS CAN BE STORED IN MEMORY. FOR MULTIPLY USE "X", FOR DIVIDE USE "/". 5: SYMBOLS. "MEM SPACE SPACE ETC." TO BROWSE THE SYMBOL LIST. THEN "MEM" TO SELECT ONE. SHIFT-KEY ACCESSES THE SYMBOLS OVER THE NUMBER-KEYS. 6: PRINTING. "MEM MEM MEM P" SENDS MESSAGE TO A PRINTER. (SELECT PORT AND PRINTERTYPE IN SETUP). 7: SOUNDS. BUZZ AND SHIFT-BUZZ CAN BE CHANGED IN SETUP. 8: SETUPS. "MEM REPLAY" TO ENTER. "SPACE" OR "BACK-SPACE" TO BROWSE, "+" AND '-" TO CHANGE VALUE, "?" FOR "HELP", "ON" TO FINISH. 9: OTHER. "MEM BACK-SPACE" DELETES LAST WORD. "ON REPLAY" RE-TYPES MESSAGE. "SHIFT REPLAY" SPELLS LAST WORD. "SHIFT ON" FOR 2ND CONVERSATION.

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Special needs AUDITORY BROWSE

• The setup AuditoryBrowse allows the user to have setups, functions and the Mem5 memory-list spoken automatically at a volume controlled by Auditory vol. This setup is a good 'learning-aid'. • This happens anyway if you select Speak: Every Key or Speak: Announce. SEVERAL LIGHTWRITERS

®

®

• When there are several Lightwriters in a room, it can be difficult to tell who is speaking. ® • DECtalk has 9 voices and each Lightwriter could be set up with a different voice — but a class of children are all likely to want Kit, the child's voice. • Other synthesisers — use Male and Female, with Pitch variations. • There is a Pitch control, and this can be used for this purpose. KEYBOARD

• The keyboard can be changed from QWERTY to ABCDE — see page 8. • There are 3 setups to alter the response of the keyboard: Key touch, Key repeat and Tremor. • A plug-in EXPANDED KEYBOARD is available. TEACHING GENER AL:

• With the Speak: Every key feature: o Each key is spoken as it is pressed, enabling the user to associate the sound of a letter with its written-form. o All keys and functions will be spoken, including ON, OFF, setups and functions, at a volume controlled by Auditory Vol (use a low level, to make it distinct from the 'selections and words'). The MEM 5 memory-list will be spoken; press MEM to select, Space for next. o During typing, press Space between each word, but the word won't be spoken; press REPLAY to 'speak the message so far'. STUDENTS:

• There is an easy-to-use calculator. (Maths teachers note: In addition to add, ® subtract, multiply, divide, the Lightwriter can calculate percentages, powers, roots and exponents). • Spelling: press Shift then Replay to spell the last word. FOREIGN LANGUAGES:

• You can plug in one of our foreign-language units. ® • We have made the Lightwriter fun to use with a selection of ‘arcade-game’ sounds in an attempt to increase the child’s attention-span. • The user can compose jingles, melodies, etc; this has a serious aspect — some users (eg aphasics) have a strong residual memory for music, and this can help ® them to ‘associate’ with the Lightwriter . REMOTE SWITCHES ®

• Consider encouraging the user to start using the Lightwriter with the 2 Remoteswitches. This system allows you to program them to play Direct-Memories, replay, buzz, print and so on. • Choose from our range of switches. PREDICTION SWITCHES

• A particular application for the Remote switches is 'Show next prediction' and 'Select this prediction'. • The two setups you need are Remote switch 1: 40 and Remote switch 2: 17.

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15

• Switch 1 is now a + key ('show next prediction'), and Switch 2 is now Replay ('select this prediction'). • This does not work on scanners, because the switches are used for scanning. BLIND

• If the setup is Speak: Announce, each key is spoken as it is pressed, but it will not be entered onto the display until it is pressed a second time; this means that a blind user can 'fish about' and 'confirm' — see page 42 for details. • All keys and functions will be spoken, including On, Off, setups and functions, at a volume controlled by Auditory Vol — use a low level, to make it distinct from the 'selections, confirmations and words'. • The MEM 5 mem-list will be spoken automatically: again, the volume is controlled by Auditory vol — press Mem when you hear the memory you want. IN THE DARK ®

• A frequent need is to use the Lightwriter in the car at night — in this situation, the keyboard is unreadable. • As described above, set Speak: Announce, and Auditory Vol. LIMITED MOVEMENT

• A plug-in scanner is available — see our current literature. • All our scanners can be used by single-switch, with the option to fit a second switch which cancels the current operation and starts a fresh scan. • Alternatively, the two switches can be configured to a step-scanning system (MOVE and SELECT); this requires no timing accuracy which suits some disabilities. FACILITATED COMMUNICATION

• Therapists can record a user’s progress, using the macro feature; this is particularly useful in FACILITATED COMMUNICATION. • To start the recording, press MEM MEM Fullstop Y then a key (eg: Z). • To replay the session on-screen, setup Mem speed: Medium and Volume: Off; then press MEM then the key; 'Back-spaces' will be replayed, allowing you to see how often the user has made mistakes. • To print it, set up a printer then press MEM 6 Z P Space Y (assuming you used Z). • For printer details — see page 35. • For macro details — see page 54.

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(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

SECTION 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM >> This section describes the Lightwriter®'s powerful memory-system • Many users will only need to use the memories at the simplest level, and these pages may be glanced through.

Overview • The memory-system consists of a single, generalised method of storing text or keystrokes; there are seven variations on this basic theme — and there are some 'suggested examples'; users are encouraged to replace the suggested examples to suit their individual needs. Direct-Memories

Allow you to store text in the format: Single-key=Expansion Words & Phrases are suggested examples.

Abbreviation-expansions

Allow you to store text in the format Abbreviation=Expansion or Expansion=Abbreviation

Speech-exceptions

Allow you to store text in the format !Word=Misspelling This enables you to pronounce 'special words' (names etc).

Musical-keys

Allow you to store tunes for the various system-functions such as 'ON'. There are 15 suggested examples.

Buzz

Allow you to replace any of the 5 'buzz' or 'alert' sounds with tunes. Unless replaced by a tune, these use a choice of sounds.

Tunes

Allow you to store tunes in the format Abbreviation=::nab..c+c^de...fg There are 5 suggested examples.

Macros

Allow you to record keystrokes and replay them with a few keys. MEM 6 to MEM Ø are suggested examples.

• • • •

This section describes Direct-memories and Abbreviation-expansions. 'Musical keys' and 'Buzz' are described in section 5. 'Tunes' and 'Macros' are described in section 5. ALL memories are automatically backed up, and restored if there is a problem — see page 24. • Longer memories may need an increased Auto-off setting — see page 45.

(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

17

LIST

• Press MEM 5 to show all the memories: Press J to go to the memories beginning with J. Press Space or Back-space to browse. Press Fullstop to show/hide the abbreviation, + to scroll the expansion. Press Replay to 'sample', MEM to select and play at 'mem speed'.

• To print the memories: if either Port is set up to Print, the P-key behaves in a special way — first, make sure that a printer is set up. Press P then Y to print all memories and speech-exceptions. Press P P Y to print the current memory only. Press P P P (then Space repeatedly) to view memories starting with the letter P.

• Memories starting with a non-alpha character are shown in a special list (MEM then the key to the right of ? repeatedly, Back-space to go back — we suggest that this list is used for tunes, macros, etc. • Press Fullstop to show/hide the tune or macro to see how they are 'built'; entries starting =:: are tunes, entries starting =* are macros. • Press MEM to select. • If MEM 5 has been overwritten by a user-memory, use MEM ?. RESTORE THE SUGGESTED EXAMPLES

• Memories that you store will replace a factory-suggestion in that location. • Erasing your own memory will restore the factory-suggestion, if there is one. • This rule applies in all 7 cases opposite. RETROSPECTIVE SAVING

• You can save an Abbreviation-expansion after it has been composed. • Put the abbreviation at either end — the system automatically assumes the shorter item is the abbreviation. Example:

H1=HELLO or HELLO=H1

18

(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

Direct-Memories >> Basic memories. • These are often called ‘memories’. This is incorrect; there are many types of user® memory in the Lightwriter — see page 16 for details. • ‘Direct-Memories’ refers to the 26 locations Mem-A to Mem-Z. • You can also use the 10 number-keys — but you will be losing the controls on those keys; we suggest you keep these for 'temporary' use. SAVE

Clear the display, enter your word or phrase; press MEM MEM; the Display will show Save? A to Z, +. Press the letter you want to store it on; the display will now show Save? Y=Ok; press Y to confirm — the Display will show Saved. Press any key other than Y to leave the old memory intact.

Example

MY NAME IS ANDREA then MEM MEM A Y

RECALL

• MEM then the letter (or number). REPLACE

• See MAKING CHANGES, page 22. ERASE ONE

• See MAKING CHANGES, page 22. ERASE ALL

• You can erase all the memories for a new user — see page 75 for details. NUMBER-MEMORIES

• Though the Direct-Memories on the numbers can be replaced, this may not be desirable — these contain useful words and functions! • However, all of the functions are available elsewhere — for example, if MEM 6 is 'overwritten', then use MEM MEM MEM P to print. CONTROL

• The expansion-speed of Memories is governed by Mem speed — see Section 4 for setup details. • Controls: To cancel the message-expansion, press On/C or Off. To pause, press and hold any other key.

• Illustration: Setup: Mem-C (or other) Press and hold any key Press On/C

Mem speed: Slow. the memory will start to expand. the expansion will pause (resumes when the key is released). the expansion will be aborted.

(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

19

WORDS, PHRASES, CONTROLS

• Words, Phrases & Controls are 'suggested examples' for the Memory system. • There are 10 pre-stored Direct-Memories — you can change them if you want. • And 10 number-memories — don't replace these unless you want to override their suggested functions. ®

MEM C MEM D MEM G MEM H MEM I MEM M MEM P MEM S MEM T MEM W

_PLEASE WOULD YOU PUT THE LIGHTWRITER ON CHARGE _I AM DEAF, PLEASE FACE ME WHILE SPEAKING _GOODBYE _HELLO HOW ARE YOU? _I AM SORRY _MY HEARING IS OK, PLEASE SPEAK NORMALLY _WOULD YOU PLEASE _SAY THAT AGAIN? _THANK YOU _WHAT IS YOUR NAME?

MEM 1 MEM 2 MEM 3 MEM 4 MEM 5 MEM 6 MEM 7 MEM 8 MEM 9 MEM Ø

_AND _YOU _THE _YES Memory-list Print (if a printer has been set up) Flips speech off/on ["] (emphasise next word during Replay — best in DECtalk) Volume down Volume up

• Note that these memories have a preceding space so that they are automatically separated from any existing text. • To have no ‘scrolling' of the memories, set Mem speed: Auto or Instant. RECALL

• MEM then the letter or number. Example

MEM W to recall WHAT IS YOUR NAME?

REPLACE

• Clear the screen, enter your word or phrase, then MEM MEM then the key, then Y to save your own messages instead. Example

Clear the screen and enter GEOFF then MEM MEM G Y. MEM G will now produce GEOFF until you erase it.

HIDE

• Clear the screen, enter Space, then MEM MEM then the key, then Y. Example

Clear the screen then Space then MEM MEM G Y to temporarily hide GOODBYE

RESTORE ONE

• Clear the screen, then MEM MEM then the key, then Y Y. Example RESTORE ALL

Clear the screen then MEM MEM G Y Y to restore GOODBYE

• To restore all the Words & Phrases and functions listed above, erase all usermemories — see page 75 for details.

20

(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

Abbreviation-expansions >> This powerful system has many uses — a few of them are described below.

• You can turn shorthand into longhand: GDBY=GOODBYE ACLT=ACCELERATE

• You can link messages and phrases to abbreviations: H1=HELP ME WITH THIS, PLEASE Z9=LET'S GO TO THE ZOO FD=APPLE-PIE AND CUSTARD DRK=GIVE ME A PINT OF YOUR BEST PORTER, LANDLORD!

• You can use a 'key-word' for the abbreviation — be careful to precede the word with a symbol such as Fullstop; this means you can still type 'FOOD' or 'DRINK' as ordinary words. .FOOD=APPLE-PIE AND CUSTARD .DRINK=GIVE ME A PINT OF YOUR BEST PORTER, LANDLORD!

• You can link dates-to-appointments, names-to-addresses and phone-numbers — again, notice the use of Fullstops; in the third case, the Fullstop ensures that SUE.SMITH is a single word. .DENTIST=MON 19TH AT 2.30 .HELEN=24 THE HIGH, HARLOW, ESSEX CM22 7DP. SUE.SMITH=0583 553784 SAVE

• Enter a code or keyword, then '=', then the message: (H1=HELLO, FD=APPLE PIE AND CUSTARD), then MEM MEM then + then Y. RECALL

• Type Space (if necessary) to produce a gap, then H1 or FD (in the examples) then Space to recall according to the Abbrv-expnsn setting — see page 21. REPLACE

• See MAKING CHANGES, page 22. ERASE ONE

• See MAKING CHANGES, page 22. ERASE ALL

• It is useful to be able to erase all the memories for a new user — see page 75 for details.

(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

21

CONTROL

• The memory-expansion speed is governed by Mem speed — see page 45 for setup details. • To speed-up, pause or cancel — see page 18. • The Abbrv-expnsn setup controls if/when the system operates; there are 3 modes — see page 45 for setup details. Abbrv-expnsn:Space Abbrv-expnsn:Auto Abbrv-expnsn:Off

Select a Space after H1, and your memory will expand. No space required after H1; BEWARE! IF YOU STORE QU=QUESTION, YOU CAN NEVER WRITE QUEEN, OR QUERY. Prevents your memories expanding; they are safely stored until you next need them.

• Suppose (in the example) you want to write H1 and not HELLO, do you need to set Abbrv-expnsn to Off? No: to bypass the system enter H Space 1. • To have no ‘scrolling' of the memories, set Mem speed: Auto or Instant. RULES

• The abbreviation must be a single-word — with punctuation and symbols, but not spaces; for example: +OH.MY+=DEAR ME, and not OH MY=DEAR ME.

• They must be TWO or MORE characters — to use one-character abbreviations; use SMARTKEYS — see page 27. • D1, D.1, D,1, D+1, D-1 and D:1 can all store different memories — think of them as different 'words' ... as different as J.SMITH and JSMITH. • Use abbreviations that aren't "real words" — avoid road-names and postcodes! • Never 'refer' (eg: ARM=PLEASE LIFT MY ARM or DR=I NEED TO SEE THE DR). • If the correct format is not used, the message will be Cannot Save This! • Here is an example of the correct format:

WW2=WORLD WAR 2, then MEM MEM + Y CHAINING

• One Abbreviation-expansion memory can call another. For example: Store this And this Resulting in

L1=I LIKE SC VERY MUCH SC=SUGAR-COATED POPSICLES I LIKE SUGAR-COATED POPSICLES VERY MUCH

• The same 'chain' can be used elsewhere; you have created a "button": Example

IDS=I DISLIKE SC

• If more than 4 'chains' are required, use a special 'linking' technique — see DELIVER A SPEECH. LONG ABBREVIATIONS

• Normally, the Abbreviation-expansion system assumes that the 'shorter side' of MC=MOTORCYCLE or MOTORCYCLE =MC is the abbreviation. • If the abbreviation is to be the same length or longer than the phrase, type Space then ABCDE=XYZ, then save as normal with the MEM MEM + command. Example Example

Save WATER=EAU Save Space WATER=EAU

WATER appears when you type EAU EAU appears when you type WATER

• If in doubt, use the MEM 5 list to see what is going on; use Fullstop to show the abbreviation.

22

(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

Making changes >> Altering the Lightwriter® memories. SAVING To save Direct-memories

• Clear the screen, type ARM (for example) , then MEM MEM A then Y. To save an Abbreviation-expansion

• Clear the screen, type FD=APPLE-PIE AND CUSTARD (for example) , then MEM MEM + then Y. REPLACING To change a Direct-Memory

• Expand the memory (MEM A expands to ARM, for example). • Type RESTS to change the display to ARMRESTS, then MEM MEM A then Y. To change an Abbreviation-expansion

• Expand the memory (FD Space expands to APPLE-PIE AND CUSTARD, for example). • Press MEM Back-space, then type CREAM=FD, then MEM MEM then + then Y. • In both cases, the User's Display will ask Delete Old? Y=Ok. Press Y to confirm. ERASING To delete a Direct-Memory

• • • •

Press On/C to clear the screen, then MEM MEM T (for example) then Y. The User's Display will ask Save? Y=Ok. Press Y to confirm. The User's Display will ask Delete Old? Y=Ok. Press Y to confirm. Notice that MEM T has reverted to THANK YOU (the factory-suggestion) — to HIDE the factory-suggestion completely — see page 19.

To delete an Abbreviation-expansion

• Type the 3 characters FD= (in our example), then MEM MEM then + then Y. • The User's Display will ask Delete Old? Y=Ok. Press Y to confirm. DUPLICATING To duplicate a Direct-Memory

• Expand the memory (MEM A expands to ARM, for example). • Press MEM MEM X to also have the phrase both on MEM A and MEM X. • Type =AR then MEM MEM + Y to have the phrase both on MEM A and AR. To duplicate an abbreviation-expansion

• Expand the memory (FD Space expands to APPLE-PIE AND CUSTARD, for example). • Press MEM MEM Q Y to have the phrase both on FD and MEM Q. • Type =AP then MEM MEM + Y to have the phrase both on FD and AP.

• You cannot edit Macros, Tunes or Speech-exceptions; you must record them afresh — replacing the old one if desired. • If you are doing so, the display will show Delete Old? Y=Ok — press Y to confirm.

(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

23

Notes on the Memory-system IDEAS

• • • • •

Frequent words or phrases; names, addresses, phone numbers. Memos, shopping-lists ('HAM, EGGS, BREAD, PENCIL-SHARPENER'). Courtesy ('WOULD YOU PLEASE') — fill in the rest of the sentence manually. Travel ('JE M'APPELLE MIKE', 'GUTEN TAG') Short words ('A1') are worth entering, because a space is inserted automatically after, meaning that you press 2 keys (MEM-A) instead of 3 (A-1-Space).

PRINT THE MEMS

• • • •

If either of the ports' setups is Port:Printer:Press Mem 5 and navigate to the memory that you want. Press P then Y to print all memories — as defined on page 16. Press Space repeatedly to print the currently-displayed memory, or go to the first memory beginning with P.

NOTES ®

• The Lightwriter does not put a space before the memory unless you insert one — this allows you to store ILITY on MEM B, so that COMPATIB MEM B gives COMPATIBILITY. ® • The Lightwriter puts a space after the last word in memory — in order to speak it if the setup is Speak: Every Word. MEM SPEED

• There are 7 memory speeds: Mem speed:Auto Mem speed:Instant Mem speed:V.fast Mem speed:Brisk Mem speed:Fast Mem speed:Medium Mem speed:Slow

Instant (or Brisk if no speech). Memories spoken as quickly as possible and then displayed. Displays scroll as quickly as possible. Brisk. Fast. Medium. Slow.

• Brisk or Instant will only display the last 19 characters of the memory — press Replay to scroll it. • For all speeds except Auto or Instant: Press any key except On/C or Off to pause. Press On/C or Off to cancel.

• See page 45 for details. MANAGEMENT

• Often, you will want to recall a memory, edit or add to it, and then put it back into the same memory — if editing an important message, save a copy on a different key, in case you do something silly. • It is a good idea to keep a few locations empty, ready for 'instant use', for example, A, B and C — this means that the next time you meet someone, you can take their address without worrying about where to put it. • Therefore, from time to time, transfer from your 'keep-ready-for-instant-use' area to your 'main' area — reviewing the old memories first Review Transfer

Recall MEM A, MEM B, and so on — make a mental note of the unwanted ones. Save any memories you want to keep onto an available 'main' memory-location.

24

(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

• Remember to erase the memory in your 'keep ready for instant use' area — check that the transfer has been successful before erasing. Note

If anyone is with you, they will naturally think you are talking to them, and this can result in a great deal of confusion.

TO AVOID THIS, ENTER 2ND CONVERSATION MODE, AND TURN THE SPEECH OFF. OR, EXPLAIN WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO, OR WAIT TILL YOU ARE ALONE. SELF-CLEARING MEMORIES

• A Memory or an Abbreviation-expansion can clear the display before being recalled — so that the typing-buffer contains that memory alone. • To do this, the memory must begin &CLEAR then Space. Memory Abbrv-expnsn

J=&CLEAR MY NAME IS JAMIE MCPHERSON J1=&CLEAR MY NAME IS JAMIE MCPHERSON

DUPLICATING THE ABBREVIATIONS

• You may want several abbreviations to produce the same expansion — for example, the same expansion on P1 through to P0 means you only have to remember P. • Store P1=PLEASE CLENCH MY FIST FOR ME, AND RAISE IT ALOFT IN A GESTURE OF DEFIANCE. • Then, store P2=P1, P3=P1, P4=P1, through to P0=P1. SIZE

• Each Memory (or Abbreviation-expansion) is limited to 250 characters — including spaces. ® • The Lightwriter will make an Alert sound after the 230th character as a warning — save the message to memory as soon as possible after the warning if it will be needed again. • Selections after the 250th will delete the ones at the beginning — saving at this stage means that you'll be saving the last 250 characters. • The total memory capacity for ALL memories is 14k (over 14,000) characters ("bytes"), about 3,000 words. • When the amount of memory free is less than 4%, each new save will carry a warning Memory Nearly Full. • When full, the message will be NOT saved; the memory is full!. • Press MEM MEM MEM F ('free') to show the percentage of memory unused. BACKUPS ®

• The Lightwriter automatically makes a backup ('duplicate') of ALL your Memories in a high-security memory-device — similar to an aircraft's black-box. ® • These backups will not be lost if the battery runs flat or if the Lightwriter has a fault — the backups will be re-loaded automatically! • If a memory is changed, all the others ones are 'shuffled' at turn-off time to make room — this can take a few seconds if the memories are large. • The backup capacity is 14k characters — the same size as the 'working-memory'. ® ® • When you turn the Lightwriter off, watch the Lightwriter Backing Up new or changed memories — for a fuller discussion see MEMORY AREAS. ® ® • If the Lightwriter had a fault, watch the Lightwriter Restoring — magic! ® • Backups can be transferred to any other model with V5.x software if this Lightwriter is damaged — another application is that you may want to trade-in for another model, taking your memories with you. You need a null-modem serial cable. • You can decide when to backup — see page 42 for details. • You cannot decide what gets backed up — the system makes a faithful duplicate of the ENTIRE memory-system; that is its purpose.

(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

25

• You can use the Backup-system to undo accidental memory-saves — see page 75 for details. MACROS

• This system allows you to perform the actions that you need frequently — you need this if you find yourself saying 'I wish I didn't have to keep pressing twelve keys to perform a task I do often'. • Pre-stored examples are MEM 6, MEM 7, MEM 8, MEM 9 and MEM Ø; replace these if you wish. • Many of the functions in this Manual involve several keys; you may want to record these 'key-sequences', to make the job easier in future — remember, you can always do it 'longhand', too. • Another use for Macros is to change several setups at once, for example if you regularly change the Tremor setting according to the time of day — see page 38. • To record a macro: clear the screen, then MEM MEM Fullstop then Y, then the key to store it on, for example A, (and Y again if asked); then type the keys you wish to record, and finally press Off to stop recording. • To play the macro, press MEM A (for example). • Macros of the form MEM [key] share the same access-method as Direct-Memories: a choice must therefore be made: a key cannot be used both for a Memory and for a Macro; you can store macros in a different way which does not use up a Memorykey — see page 54 for details. • We have stored a simple example which changes 'case'; to use it, press MEM then the key to the right of ?, navigate to it using Space and Back-space, then: Fullstop to show/hide the 'body' of the macro + to scroll it (to see how it was 'built'). MEM to play it once. MONITOR

• Therapists can use the key-macro system to record a user's activity — particularly useful in Facilitated Communication. • To start the recording: clear the screen, enter +JOHN.12DEC= (for example), then MEM MEM Fullstop then Y. ® • The Lightwriter will now record every key until it is switched off, or until it turns off ® automatically — the Lightwriter should be well charged, and you should set Auto off (mins): 60. • The first 250 characters that are typed will be recorded. • To replay the session on-screen, press MEM then the key to the right of ?, and navigate to +JOHN.12DEC, then press MEM — Back-spaces will be replayed, allowing you to see how often the user has made mistakes. • To print the session, make sure that a printer is set up, then press MEM then the key to the right of ?, and navigate to +JOHN.12DEC, then press P Space Y.

26

(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

Questions Answered

Q A

Are MEM 6, MEM 7, MEM 9 and MEM Ø macros? Yes (so is +CHANGE.CASE in the 'Mem-£' list): macros are useful!

Q A

I don't want a memory, can I get rid of it? Save a Space to 'hide' them.

Q A

MEM 8 looks strange, what's that all about? It is the command required by the DECtalk system to emphasise the next word when you press Replay.

Q

MEM 9 is factory-programmed to be 'Volume down'; Volume also appears in the set-up list; what's the difference? The set-up list will always be there; MEM 9 is a suggested shortcut, but it can be replaced and therefore may not be available.

A Q A

What happens if MEM 9 is replaced? Is it lost for good? No: it is hidden by what you've replaced it with: it will reappear if the replacing-memory is erased; this also applies to the suggested Words & Phrases, Tunes and Musical-keys and so on.

Q A

How do I store memories in lower-case? Set the Lightwriter® to CASE: lower, type and save. If already occupied (by an UPPER- or lowercase memory), you will be asked if you want to replace it.

Q A

Not sure what's where, can I have a list? Press MEM 5, then Space repeatedly.

Q A

Mem Y contains a memory that I didn't intend to put there; why is this? The screen-prompt Save? Y=Ok means that it is particularly easy to accidentally save abbreviation expansions, tunes or macros on Y.

Q A

Can I transfer my memories to a PC, or to another Lightwriter®? Yes.

Speedwriting • You can store your own favourite abbreviations: KBD S.T

Keyboard Speech Therapist (S.T not ST — because ST is in common use for 'street' and 'saint'!)

• To store, type: KBD=Keyboard

• Press MEM MEM then +. • You are using the Abbreviation-Expansion system — see page 20 for details.

(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

27

SmartKeys • In the SmartKeys mode, each key will play the Direct-Memory stored on that key (but abbreviation-expansions are inaccessible in this mode). • This allows low-cognitive users to press a single key to deliver a message — up to 36 such messages are possible. • The keys could have small icons stuck on — house, car, food, school. • To enable the system, turn SmartKeys: On — for details see page 42. • You should also set Mem speed:Auto for smooth speech output. • P (or MEM P) will produce WOULD YOU PLEASE, unless replaced. • 1 (or MEM 1) will produce AND, unless replaced. • Unless you replace them, MEM 6 to MEM Ø will execute a one-key command: 5 6 7 8 9 Ø

Memory list Print Speech off/on Emphasise the next word when the message is replayed, for DECtalk only Speech quieter Speech louder

• Keys without Direct-Memories on them will be entered as normal; if you wish A to display and speak A, you should store A as a memory on key A: Clear the screen Type A Press MEM MEM A Y

• You might prefer A to emit a 'bip' to indicate that it has no memory on it; to do this, save a one-note tune on it as follows: Clear the screen Type ::9c (for a low note), or ::9^C (for a high note) Press MEM MEM A Y

• You can have tune(s) on the keys — see page 58 for details. NOTES

• To temporarily disable SmartKeys (eg: to change the Direct-Memories, or to type normal messages), press MEM then Fullstop — to revert to the SmartKeys mode, press Off then On. • To permanently disable SmartKeys (to permanently revert to normal typing), press MEM then Replay then S repeatedly until the setup is SmartKeys, then Ø.

28

(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

Deliver a speech • To deliver a speech, you need to store memories; these can be created on the ® Lightwriter , or downloaded from a computer — see page 52 for details. • The memories must be linked so that each one calls the next; the need for this is because each memory is limited to 256 characters — allow 16 for the abbreviation and the 'link', leaving approx 240 for the 'message'. • Over 80 of these blocks can be stored — resulting in a 10-20 minute speech. • While creating memories, use MEM MEM MEM F to check how much memory is free. • In the following examples, _ means Space; + means press the + key. • &WAIT (or &wait) means press any key to start the next linked memory. Z1=LADIES_AND_GENTLEMEN,_GOOD_EVENING! I WOULD LIKE... (up to 240 characters) _&WAIT_Z2_ then MEM MEM + Y Y Z2=ONCE_UPON_A_TIME,_A_BIG ... (up to 240 characters) _&WAIT_&LINK_Z23_ then MEM MEM + Y Z23=IS_IT_NOT_TRUE,_CITIZENS, ... (up to 240 characters) _&LINK_Z49_ then MEM MEM +Y

• Z1 Space will now play the entire speech; press any key when you are ready for memory Z2. • Z14 Space (for example) will play from memory Z14. SETUPS

• • • •

For best speech 'flow', set Mem speed: Auto. If the memories won't link, check that the setup is Abbrv-expnsn: Space. To turn off all sounds when you play the speech, set Sound vol: None. Experiment with Speech rate and Speech gaps for best clarity.

PREPARE

• Who will you be speaking to? How many people? For how long? What about? • Has the venue got a PA system + a 3.5mm mono adaptor? If not, we sell a system. • Play each memory, edit them, press Replay, save them 'over the top of' the old ones; do this repeatedly until you are happy with them — allow plenty of time. • DECtalk users can change voices mid-sentence — this can be very effective indeed — see page 33 for details. ONE SWITCH

• The speech can be started with a single switch-press if your disability is severe, if there is a risk of accidental keying 'in the heat of the moment', or if you are very nervous: Type Z1 then press MEM then MEM then 4. Insert a plug-in switch into Switch2, and use the setup Remote Switch 2: 4 — see page 57 for details.

• To turn on and start the speech, hold the switch down for one second. • To link to next, next, next: tap the switch. READY?

• When complete, charge the battery — and ensure the ON and Off keys will not be pressed in transit! Fit a keyguard if you have one. • The chairman needs a printout of your speech — to read out for you if things go wrong. STAY COOL

• In the examples, memories are linked — each one calls the next. • This means that you will be delivering the entire speech with a few keys! You can therefore have a few drinks before the speech, you will enjoy the whole experience all the more — the able-bodied do not have this power!

(Section 2: MEMORY-SYSTEM)

29

EXAMPLE ®

• This was a radio-interview given by Toby, on a DECtalk Lightwriter . • I selected Speech rate: Normal and Speech gaps: Small, Mem speed: Auto, and Sound vol: Off to prevent any warnings or key-clicks. • Each of these 6 blocks was saved: ®

Z1=HELLO, BEFORE I INVENTED THE LIGHTWRITER , I HAD TO USE AN ALPHABETBOARD, WHICH IS FAIRLY SLOW AND REQUIRES GOOD CO-OPERATION BY THE PERSON YOU ARE SPEAKING TO. IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO TELL A JOKE ON AN ALPHABET-BOARD. &WAIT Z2 Z2=I WANTED SOMETHING BETTER, AND DECIDED TO PUT MY ENGINEERING SKILLS INTO ACTION, TO BUILD MY OWN ["] COMMUNICATION AID. &WAIT Z3 Z3=I WANTED TO MAKE IT AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE, SO I COULD TAKE IT WITH ME WHERE-EVER I ["] WENT. I DECIDED TO MAKE A TYPEWRITER BUT WITH AN ILLUMINATED DISPLAY INSTEAD OF A PRINTED OUTPUT, SO I CALLED IT A ["] ® LIGHTWRITER . &WAIT Z4 Z4=THE ADDITION OF SPEECH HELPED ME RUN MY BUSINESS, AS I COULD NOW TALK OVER THE PHONE DIRECTLY, WITHOUT HAVING SOMEONE ELSE HAVING TO MAKE THE CALL ["] 4 ME. &WAIT Z5 ®

Z5=I COULD NOW TALK TO OTHER LIGHTWRITER USERS AND SPEECH THERAPISTS, OVER THE PHONE, AND GET DIRECT FEEDBACK ABOUT THEIR NEEDS, AND HOW ® LIGHTWRITERS COULD BE IMPROVED IN THE FUTURE. &WAIT Z6 Z5=AND NOW FOR THAT JOKE. WHAT DO YOU CALL A FLY WITH NO ["] WINNGS? A ["] WALK. &WAIT Z7 Z7=::2Bg+... [this is a 2-note tune, to wake the listeners up again].

• Press Z1 Space, and Space again when you hear the word "alphabet-board". • Experiment with simple memories (later, when saving the full sentence, choose Delete Old?): Z1=1 &WAIT Z2 Z2=2 &WAIT Z3 Z3=3

• Do you want to see the memories? Mem-speed: Auto or Instant: linked memories not displayed (spoken only). Mem-speed: V fast, or slower: linked memories displayed then spoken. NOTES

• Z1 Space was used to play the entire talk; I gave the radio-presenter a printout. ® • The speech was given with a DECtalk Lightwriter , hence the ["] stress-marks. • Note also the deliberate mis-spellings; these things can only be perfected by experiment, re-saving as you go when you are happy with the new version; use the editing features — see page 41 for details. • Memory Z3 ends with &WAIT Z4 (it will call memory Z4, which will in turn call Z5 and Z6). This is called 'linking' the memories— if you want to disable this linking temporarily, set Abbrv-Expnsn: Off. ® • The &WAIT command tells the Lightwriter to wait for a keypress before making the next link. • If the speech will be large, your other day-to-day memories should be 'dumped' onto a computer, and the memory system erased before creating the speech — reload your memories after the speech. ® • Auto-off is inoperative in the middle of a speech — ensure that the Lightwriter is not left in this state overnight. SUMMARY

• You can see how powerful the memory-system can be! • Try it — you may not want to give a speech, but you are certain to learn new things ® about the Lightwriter . • A simpler alternative is recall the 6 memories without linking them (Z1, Z2, Z3, etc).

30

(Section 3: USER'S GUIDE)

SECTION 3: USER'S GUIDE >> This section describes other Lightwriter® features.

SETUPS

• Before we go on, we need to discuss setups — these allow you to configure the ® Lightwriter to suit a wide variety of users. • Press MEM Replay to enter the setup-system at the 'User level', and Comma (Shift Fullstop on SL35/87) to go to the 'Advanced level'; (there is also an 'Expert level', as you will see later). • Use Fullstop, Space and Back-space to navigate the list, and + to change the current setup; press On/C to save-and-quit. • There is a shortcut: K K K K K will browse all setups beginning with K — this shortcut method will be used throughout the rest of the Manual. • Full details later on in Section 4 — watch the display while you do it, you can probably work out what's going on.

PORTS

• We also need to discuss ports — these allow you to connect external devices. • The ports have many powerful uses — see page 52 for details. ® • If your Lightwriter has one 9-way connector, it's simple — set it up for Printers, External displays or keyboard, Scanner, etc. • Its setup is Port 1; to access it, press MEM Replay then P to find the setup, and + to change its value.

®

• If your Lightwriter has two 9-way connectors, you can have two external devices connected at the same time — for example, a Printer and a Scanner. • To access the 2nd port setup, press On/C MEM Replay P P then + repeatedly — this setup will be hidden if the port is not fitted. • If the 2nd Port is fitted, other setups starting with P (eg Predict after) will need an extra P to access them — MEM Replay P P P P, not MEM Replay P P P.

(Section 3: USER'S GUIDE)

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Speech • Put punctuation in the sentence (Commas, Fullstops, Question-marks, Brackets, Exclamation-marks, etc). • The final Fullstop can normally be omitted — "no more text" is interpreted as "end of sentence", though in rare cases a Fullstop will change the phrasing. SAY THAT AGAIN

• Press the Replay-key to repeat the message — see page 38. ACAPELA

• To achieve the superb intonation and 'flow' of Acapela, the sentence must be completed, then replayed. DECTALK

• To stress a word during replay, precede it with ["]. Example

ME ["] AND YOU. ME AND ["] YOU. <Replay>

• For convenience, MEM 8 contains the ["] control-code, complete with 'spaces' before and after — thus saving you typing them. • As you have seen, factory-programmed Direct-Memories can be replaced by the user — so, MEM 8 may not behave as described. • DECtalk can change voices in mid sentence — see page 33 for details.

BASICS

• • • • • • • • • •

You can set the volume and voice of the speech system. You can speak each word as it is typed, or wait till you select Replay. You can have each key spoken as it is pressed — for education. You can have each key spoken as it is pressed, but not displayed until it is pressed a second time as a confirmation — for the blind. You can spell the last word — useful over the phone. You can always speak the message by pressing Replay. You can plug in a range of external speakers. You can send the speech to an external speech-synthesiser. You can fine-tune the speech characteristics —see Section 4 for details. You can turn the speech system off temporarily.

VOLUME

• You can 'volume-down' and 'volume-up' with MEM 9 and MEM Ø respectively. • But as you may have already gathered, these macros may have been replaced by the user, in which case you must use the Volume setup — see Section 4 for details. • You can flip the speech off and on with MEM 7 (it will turn on again automatically the ® next time you turn the Lightwriter on). • More volume is achieved by connecting one of our external speakers — details in our current literature. SPEAK

• Models with speech can speak in 4 ways. Speak:Each Word Speak:Every key Speak:Announce Speak:Replay only

The default setting, this holds the listener's attention as you type. Every key is spoken, useful for education. Each key is spoken but not displayed until pressed again, for the blind. No speech until you press the Replay key.

• Each word speaks after each word (press Space), to hold the listener's attention.

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(Section 3: USER'S GUIDE)

• Every key speaks each key, setup, function, etc; press Replay if you want to hear 'the message so far'. • Announce speaks each key without displaying it; if the key is pressed a 2nd time it will then be entered on the display, allowing the blind to 'fish about' and 'confirm'; this setup-option is added to the Speak list when using the EXPERT level — see page 42. For other features for the blind — see page 15. • Replay only does not speak until you press Replay. It will then speak the entire message with maximum smoothness — but has the disadvantage that there is a long silence while the user types and chortles; it is usually less spontaneous. • Each key and Announce volume are selected by Auditory vol — see Section 4 for details • Announce will confirm the word at the Volume setting (which is normally louder). • For Replay only, Each key and Announce: select a Space between each word, but the word won't be spoken; press Replay to 'speak the message so far'. SPEECH EXCEPTIONS

• If the speech system cannot pronounce a word correctly, you can store it as a 'speechexception' — for example, SEAN. • Press On/C, then Shift 1 to produce ! then the incorrectly-pronounced word, then = then a guess at the 'phonetic spelling', then Replay. Example

!SEAN=SHORR

• That's better, but the ending could be improved. Press Back-space TWICE to get rid of the R, type N Replay. Good! Example

!SEAN=SHORN

• To save it: press MEM MEM +; now, every time you type SEAN it will be pronounced correctly — until erased as follows. • To erase it: type !SEAN = then press MEM MEM Y Y: you can erase all speechexceptions, but this will also erase all user-memories — see page 75 for details. • You can list the speech-exceptions you have saved: press MEM MEM MEM E, then Space or Back-space repeatedly. SPECIALS

• The speech-systems can cope with some common words and numbers: Try these:

IM, ID, WHERES, HES, HED, WERENT, HAVENT, ARENT, 9.876, 1st, 123rd, T3M, £4.31, $839.99, MR, MRS, MS, DR, PROF, RD, ST, AVE, CRES, PK.

• DECtalk requires a Fullstop after abbreviations (MR. not MR; ETC. not ETC). PAUSES

• There is a short pause after a Comma, and a longer pause after a Fullstop. • You can also put pauses between each word, using the Speech gaps setup —see Section 4 for details. • Pauses take effect during 'Replay', not while you are typing — the pauses make speech less 'natural', but it can be more intelligible; experiment! DATES

• 4-figure numbers in the range 1900 to 2009 are assumed to be dates. However these will spoken as a number, if the comma is inserted (1,956). • 4-figure numbers outside this range are assumed not to be dates, and are spoken as numbers (without the need for a comma for DECtalk). PHONE

• For phone use, fit our external speaker, and use a loud-speaking phone — available from us or from high street shops.

(Section 3: USER'S GUIDE)

33

SPELL ONE WORD

• Over the phone, or in the classroom, it is often useful to spell out a word. • Press Shift Replay to spell the word before the cursor. EXTERNAL SPEAKER

• You can connect an external speaker — see page 53 for details. CONTROLS

• Press MEM Ø, MEM Ø, MEM Ø a few times to increase the volume — at the maximum ® level, the Lightwriter will beep. • Press MEM 9, MEM 9, MEM 9 a few times to decrease the volume; the minimum is Volume: Off — if the speech system does not work, this may be the reason. • The following setups control the speech system: Volume Speech Voice Pitch Speak Speech rate Speech gaps Language

Select the volume — see Section 4 for details. Select external speech synthesiser — see page 42 for details. Select male or female — see Section 4 for details. Select the speech-pitch — see Section 4 for details. Select when to speak — see Section 4 for details. Select the speed that each word is spoken — see Section 4 for details. Select the gap between each word — see Section 4 for details. Select the language, if purchased — see page 42 for details.

DUAL-WORDS

• Many words in the English language can be pronounced in more ways than one (MOPED/MOPED; NUMBER/NUMBER): these are called 'Homonyms'; there are hundreds of homonyms in the English language — a list is available. • DECtalk only (limited list): If the pronunciation is wrong, Back-space and type the last letter a 2nd time (READD, LEADD, WINDD, TOWERR, ENTRANCEE). MORE ABOUT DECTALK

• Inserting control-codes into the sentence instructs DECtalk to change voice midsentence: Example

J=[:NP] I SAY, I SAY, I SAY. What do you call a man with a seagull on his shoulder? [:NB] I don't know, what do you call a man with a seagull on his shoulder? [:NP] Cliff! [:NK] BOOM-BOOM

• [:NP] for Paul, [:NB] for Betty, [:NK] for Kit, [:NH] for Harry — you can guess the rest! PROBLEMS?

• MEM-9 and MEM-Ø don't control the volume? Use setups — see Section 4 for details. • For internal speech to work, BOTH Port setups must NOT be Port 1 or 2:Speech — ® because then the Lightwriter will only send 'speech' to the Port, whether a synthesiser is present or not. • If problems, check the Speech setup — see page 33. • See also TROUBLE-SHOOTING at end of Manual.