Voice activation for Apple iPad

[Barry52]

Thanks for bringing this up Terry. The more communication aids the designers develop then it improves our quality of life.

We had a presentation last Thursday at our MND meeting by a speech and language therapist. She has been running a project to help people in Nottinghamshire with access to communication aids and how to bank your voice. Sadly this project has come to an end and guess why? You’ve got it, the NHS trust has run out of funding.

Following the presentation those of us who have experience of voice banking and the use of a speech app were able to demonstrate to the “newbies”.

Barry

[Terry]

Google now do Voice activated for your Android Tablet.

"Voice access" was on the Gadget Show tonight and seemed to work well.

Some of you will be saying that that is no use for Mnd people but there are some of us that lose our hands but can talk well.

So you can get voice activation for most computer type devices now.

Love Terry

[Ellie]

I have just had environmental services round, they are lovely people. The system they are looking at installing runs on android not iPad and they will be providing a Samsung tablet as part f the package.

Hi Wendy,

Hope you're doing ok.

Did you hear back from that assessment yet?

Ellie x.

[Terry]

From a reliable source:-

I’ve heard about voice recognition. Is it difficult to set-up?

No! Not at all. If you have a fairly new Windows or Apple computer then you have built in voice recognition. It is easy to use and as long as you practice for a while you should be able to get fairly good recognition. We’d always suggest getting a USB microphone though as normally the external microphones on a computer never tends to be of a high enough quality to be effective at recognizing your voice.

[Ellie]

The best technology without hands is Eye Gaze. Rather than physically moving a cursor with a mouse, the user looks at the specific letter, icon etc. on the screen, dwells on it for a specified time which acts as the “enter” key.
The vast majority of eye trackers only work with Windows platforms, as does eye gaze software. The best, as in most responsive and thus most forgiving & least frustrating, is the Tobii EyeX. It costs about £100 and although aimed at developers, its software is easily downloaded. Best of all is the free open source software available which gives the user full PC control. The PC or tablet must have an USB3.0 port & pref an i5 processor.

I suggest your wife (if that’s her in the video, Helen or Rose, not sure) maybe tries a camera mouse – free, for Windows only – or if there is an equivalent for iPad to see what she thinks. Download Optikey to use as controls. She had very good head control in the video.

Of course your wife should be assessed by an AAC Team but I know it’s very much a postcode lottery in the U.K.

Ellie.

Any suggestions on good technology once hands no longer work?

Hi KC and All,

Hope you don't mind me saying this after reading these past few posts. To those living with this illness please don't be so hard on yourself, you really are doing the best you can under extremely difficult physical, emotional, and mental challenges that came upon you of no fault of your own.

You all get up everyday, and face the day with all the struggles it brings as well as the long nights. There are so many people in this world not living with mnd that can't manage to do that.

You may be physically compromised, but you have incredible strength that cannot be measured.

Much Love to you All

xox

[Ellie]

Hi KC,

You know what… Life is probably easier for me at my stage of progression. I have been totally dependent on others since 2008. So, insofar as it’s possible, I’m used to living and coping with my severe limitations. I’d a rough first year though and definitely had dark times but having young kids, including a pre-schooler, left me little time for introversion. It is a scary illness, no matter how prepared or knowledgeable about it we are.

Yes I have dark days - or rather, nights! - mainly about how I ruined family life but it is what it is...

KC, none of us here are cowards – you’re a hero. You’re doing and feeling the same as anyone else would do in such extreme circumstances.

Love Ellie.

Kernowcluck
I have just had environmental services round, they are lovely people. The system they are looking at installing runs on android not iPad and they will be providing a Samsung tablet as part f the package. If they do the same for you you would have the option of the android tablet for speech activation.
I was quite chuffed they are moving very quickly to remote control my lights fan and even my front door for me. They have a range of switches you can try which are not hand activated. I don't need them yet as I have one arm still working but, they will come out and upgrade the control method as things change.

You are definitely not a coward, this is horribly scary for all of us. I am struggling to manage even a few steps with my walker and have now given in and allowed a commode chair into the house, yuck! I normally have one or two low days after each loss, then manage to pull myself up and carry on again. The happy pills help
Wendy x

I'm sorry you're struggling today. I don't think anyone would use the word coward to describe someone facing such difficulties and knowing things are not going to improve.

Like Ellie says, there will be a solution and MNDA can help fund items to help you communicate.

I know it's nearly two years and technology moves so fast but my mum was able to use an onscreen keyboard and a Bluetooth mouse successfully. The mouse didn't even need to be clicked. She was able to just about move the cursor a few centimetres to reach rhe letters.

I know you will get sorted with something.

Thank you Ellie, I can't hold a stylus any more as I can't move my arms all my hands. I think I am probably at the eye gaze stage. Do you have days when it's hard to stay positive? I'm normally a very positive person but I feel that I'm being sucked down the deep dark hole at the moment. Every day seems to bring more challenges and it's like my world is closing in on me. I know I'm lucky because I can still talk and eat but it's this damned locked in body that I struggle to cope with. I thought I would be able to dredge some courage up from somewhere and I am so disappointed with myself for being such a coward But I'm so scared. I started taking amitriptyline for pain today and maybe that will help with my mood. Tomorrow is another day and hopefully a better one for all of us XX

[Ellie]

Would you fare better with a stylus or finger writing in the short term KC?

When my hands stopped working I used a joystick connected via USB (or wireless) to control the mouse and a switch (big button to click with a knee/foot/hand etc.) as my enter key. Most of movement needed for joystick came from my shoulder. This set-up served me well for a number of years. I now use eye gaze; superb invention!

Good luck with assessment. There is a solution for you.

Ellie x.

Thanks for your replies folks. I can still speak but my hands and fingers don't work so I really struggle using a keyboard. I spoke to my SALT Who said that if I'd had good finger movement but no voice they could have helped me but they have referred me to the environmental support services at Bristol who are coming to assess me anyway for gadgety tec things that may make my life easier.i'll let you know if I have any luck as there may be others in a similar position to me.

[miranda]

I use Speak It on my iPad. It's cheap, simple to use and the voice I use is ok. Not sure if that's what you mean by 'voice activation'

[Terry]

Like Dvd, I don't use I Pad;

Manly because of the cost, however "Speak It" does seem a lovely app for talking. However you must have a voice if you want voice activation.

I knew a Mnd man that run a Windows 7 laptop using his good voice. It did make mistakes but he was quite successful.

Failing voice controlled systems, there are other methods of controlling I Pads without hands. You can have a head pointer but the one I have seen used uses Blue tooth and seems unreliable. You can also use switches. Both switches and the head pointer are very slow.

If you have a laptop or access to one it might be worth trying the voice control systems on that or maybe an android tablet.

Love Terry