Prentke Romich Company walkertalker User manual

PRENTKE ROMICH COMPANY
European Headquarters:
Prentke Romich Europe Ltd
Whitegates • Swinstead • Grantham • Lincs.• NG33 4PA • UK.
Fax: [phone]
E-Mail Address: [email protected]
The
WalkerTalker
Operater's Manual
PRENTKE ROMICH COMPANY
World Headquarters:
1022 Heyl Rd. • Wooster, Ohio 44691
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-Mail Address: [email protected]
Web Site Address: www.prentrom.com

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WalkerTalker is a trademark of Prentke Romich Company
Minspeak is a registered trademark of Semantic Compaction Systems. Minspeak uses the
methodology derived from the concepts covered by U.S Patent Numbers 4,661,916; 5,097,425;
5,210,689 and subsequent patents and applications of Bruce Baker.
Unity is a registered trademark in the USA of Semantic Compaction Systems.
Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.
AppleTalk is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.
IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines
The person who uses the WalkerTalker for speech output may
reveal potential for upgrading to a more powerful Minspeak
communication device.
©Prentke Romich Company 1993, 1994, 1997. All rights reserved. Under the copyright laws this
manual may not be copied, in whole or in part, without written consent of Prentke Romich
Company.

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Table of Contents
General
What is the WalkerTalker? ...............................................................................5
The WalkerTalker Keyboard ............................................................................7
The WalkerTalker Speaker...............................................................................9
The WalkerTalker Control Unit......................................................................11
The WalkerTalker Memory Unit ....................................................................13
Hooking Up and Adjusting the WalkerTalker ................................................15
Charging the Batteries.....................................................................................17
What is Minspeak?..........................................................................................19
An Example of Using Minspeak Icons............................................................21
Selecting Icons................................................................................................23
Changing an Overlay.......................................................................................25
Location Codes ...............................................................................................27
Control Panel Activities
Use the Control Panel to Record and Store Messages ....................................29
Choose Standard or Extended Speech.............................................................31
Before You Begin Storing, Plan Your Messages............................................33
Storing a Message...........................................................................................35
When a Shorter Message is Hidden by a Longer Message .............................37
Review Your Messages...................................................................................39
Erase a Message..............................................................................................41
Toolbox Tools
Using the Toolbox Overlay.............................................................................43
Tools in the Toolbox.......................................................................................45
Completely Erase ('Zorro') the WalkerTalker.................................................47
Change Audible Key Feedback.......................................................................49
One Icon Theme Set........................................................................................51
One Icon Theme Clear....................................................................................53
Control Panel On/Off......................................................................................55
Change Key Acceptance Time........................................................................57
System Defaults ..............................................................................................59
Some Keys Contain More Then One Tool......................................................61
Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting: General ..............................................................................63
Troubleshooting: Batteries.............................................................................65
STORE, ERASE and REVIEW at a Glance...................................................67
Index...............................................................................................................69

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MEMORY UNIT SPEAKER CONTROL UNIT
16 Key Keyboard
Worn in Pouch on Control Belt
This area slides back
to reveal Control Panel
The WalkerTalker Parts

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What is the WalkerTalker?
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WalkerTalker is a wearable communication aid for ambulatory
non-speaking clients. The WalkerTalker uses the Minspeak
Language System for organizing and accessing vocabulary.
The Walker Talker is mounted on a belt and consists of a Speaker
with microphone, Control Unit and Memory Unit. The belt is
worn around the waist. The 16-key keyboard fits into a small
pouch which attaches to the belt. The keyboard can be removed
from the belt and hand-held. You can also attach it to a hard
surface using the dual-lock that came in the packing box.
The WalkerTalker is wrapped inside a protective cover. You can
remove the cover by pulling the Velcro tabs apart. The
WalkerTalker lifts out of the cover. The keyboard and keyboard
pouch can be placed on the left or right side of the belt. The
protective cover, when you want to use it, can be turned in either
direction to accommodate the keyboard. See page 6 to learn how to
connect the keyboard to the Control Unit.
By using the Control Panel inside the Control Unit, a speaking
person can record messages for the user. Then by pressing keys on
the keyboard, the user can recall the messages that have been
stored into the device. In this way, the WalkerTalker allows users
to participate in conversations wherever they happen to take place.
This Operator's Manual should be used as a more complete
supplement to the First Steps workbook. The Operator's Manual
explains the WalkerTalker functions and how to use them. The
First Steps workbook is a step-by-step guide to getting started on
the WalkerTalker and to creating and storing a vocabulary

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OVERLAY
KEYGUARD
TOOLBOX
The Keyboard

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The WalkerTalker Keyboard
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The Walker-Talker has two separate parts—the belt that contains
the Memory Unit, the speaker and microphone and the Control
Unit. The Keyboard is a separate unit that detaches from the belt
and can be held in the hand. The belt is adjustable and is to be
worn around the waist.
The 16 key keyboard consists of 16 small keys and a sturdy
plastic keyguard that covers the keys. Underneath the keyguard
you can find an overlay protector and a vinyl overlay. These can all
be removed from the keyboard. Underneath the vinyl overlay is
another overlay that displays the Toolbox functions. Your
WalkerTalker comes with a sample overlay with icons on it already
in place underneath the keyguard. Use the sample overlay with the
First Steps workbook.
You use the keyboard to store and retrieve messages. Activate
keys on the keyboard by pressing on them.

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Microphone
External
Microphone Jack
MEMORY UNIT SPEAKER CONTROL UNIT
WalkerTalker Speaker

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The WalkerTalker Speaker
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The belt contains three units. The Speaker is the round
component between the Memory Unit and the Control Unit. The
bottom of the speaker contains the microphone you speak into
while storing messages. There is also a jack where you can plug in
an external microphone.
When you record messages for the WalkerTalker, don't mumble
and don't shout; just speak clearly into the microphone in your
normal voice.

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Computer
MTI
RS-232 Keyboard Battery Charger
Slide top panel back
to see inside Control Unit
BATTERY HOOK-UP
CONTROL UNIT
and charging LED
STORE
RECORD
ERASE EXTENDED
MEMORY FULL
REVIEW
EXT SP
Connectors on
end of Control
Unit
Control Unit and Control Panel

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The WalkerTalker Control Unit
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On the end of the Control Unit you can see a jack for the cable
that will connect your keyboard to the Control Unit, a jack for the
battery charger and a jack for an RS-232 serial cable that will allow
you to connect to a computer. Each of these connectors has a
picture of its function below it.
The Control Unit also contains the Control Panel. The Control
Panel is inside the Control Unit. Open the Control Unit by placing
your thumb on the front panel of the Unit and pushing downward
while sliding the top back. The top slides back until the Control
Panel is revealed and then the top snaps into place. To cover the
Control Panel, simply slide the top panel back into its original
position. The Control Unit also contains the Battery Pack.
The Control Panel contains the buttons you will use for storing,
erasing and reviewing messages. You select standard or extended
speech here and you also open the Toolbox on the keyboard from
the Control Panel in order to access some of the WalkerTalker's
special tools.
There are four (4) Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) above the
programming buttons. When you press the STORE or RECORD
buttons, the LEDs nearest each button will light. The third LED
will light when the WalkerTalker's memory is full and the fourth
LED will light momentarily when you select Extended Speech, and
again whenever you are in Extended Speech and press STORE.

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External
Speaker
Jack
Speaker
Volume
MEMORY UNIT Speaker
WalkerTalker Memory Unit

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The WalkerTalker Memory Unit
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The Memory Unit contains the circuit boards (which you won't
have to worry about). On the end of the unit you will find the
volume knob for the speaker volume and a jack for an external
speaker.

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MEMORY UNIT SPEAKER CONTROL UNIT
Connect the cable on either side
of the keyboard
Keyboard
connector
Connect the WalkerTalker and the
Keyboard

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Hooking Up and Adjusting the
WalkerTalker
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The WalkerTalker comes threaded through a belt. You may use
this belt or you may use one of your own choice.
We recommend that you start out by arranging the three main
components (Memory Unit, Speaker and Control Unit) so that they
are around the front of the waist. You can, of course, place them at
either side of the waist if this is more convenient. We also
recommend that the small round microphone on the bottom of the
speaker points toward the floor when the belt is around the user's
waist. This will help protect the microphone from spills, drooling,
etc. You can place the keyboard on either side of the belt. Make
sure it is easily accessible to the WalkerTalker user.
Once the keyboard is in place, you must connect the keyboard to
the Control Unit. If the keyboard is not connected to the Control
Unit, it will not work.
Plug the Keyboard into the Control Unit:
1. Take one end of the cable that came with the WalkerTalker and
plug it into the connector on either the left or the right side of
the keyboard. Plug the other end of the cable into the jack
marked with the picture of a keyboard
( ) on the bottom end of the Control Unit. We suggest
you try plugging the cable into both sides of the keyboard and
moving the keyboard from one side of the belt to the other so
you can see which way is easiest for the user.

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Plug this end into
a wall outlet
Plug this end into
the connector on the
end of the Control
Unit.
BATTERY CHARGER
@
1. Please read the First Steps manual to
learn how to charge the batteries correctly.
2. Do not charge the batteries longer
than 8-10 hours at a time.
3. You can use the WalkerTalker when
the charger is plugged in, but it will
take longer to charge completely.
4. When you hear, "BATTERIES ARE LOW,"
plug in your charger.
Remember
IF THE BATTERIES GET TOO LOW,
THE WALKERTALKER WILL LOSE
ITS MEMORY.
υBE ALERT!
Battery Information

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Charge theWalkerTalker's Batteries on a
Regular Basis
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Charge the WalkerTalker by plugging the battery charger that came
with your unit into a wall outlet and plugging the other end of the
charger into the jack on the Control Unit that has a picture of a
battery charger under it.
We recommend that you charge the WalkerTalker on a regualr
basis. Please read the battery charging information in the First
Steps manual for more information about this. Do not leave the
battery charger plugged in for more than eight hours.
When the batteries are low, the WalkerTalker will say, "Batteries
are low," whenever you speak a message. When the batteries are
low you will not be able to store or erase messages until you plug
in the battery charger. You can use the WalkerTalker while you are
charging it, it will just take longer to fully charge the batteries.
ÂWarning!: If you let the batteries get too low, the
walkertalker will lose its memory!
ÄNotes:
If the batteries are completely dead (i.e., nothing will work),you
will probably have to charge them for 8-10 hours.
After eight hours of charging, the WalkerTalker will feel warm to
the touch. If the WalkerTalker is inside its protective cover while
it is being charged overnight, the cover will also feel slightly warm.
Don't worry, this is all right.

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Minspeak Icon Sequences

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About Minspeak
The Vanguard uses a patented vocabulary-coding method called
Minspeak to help you communicate.
Minspeak is a means of coding vocabulary to a small set of icons
that are rich in meaning. Minspeak's use of icons taps into a
person's natural tendency to associate multiple meanings to
pictures. By coding a large vocabulary of words, phrases and
whole messages using this small set of icons, Minspeak offers
many advantages:
♦it is logical in how it represents a person's language;
♦it is easy to learn because it fits into a person's natural ability to
associate many meanings to one picture;
♦it promotes language development by providing a rich
vocabulary of words that you can combine into sentences;
♦because the small set of icons remains the same on a single
overlay, you can, with practice, learn to recall your vocabulary
automatically;
♦it promotes further language development by offering many
opportunities for language-learning experiences.
These advantages lead to the ultimate benefit of using Minspeak:
it allows for and promotes independent, effective communication.

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Icon Associations
Vocabulary word = WHERE?
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QUESTION WORD WANTED= who is
the man in the
WANTED icon?.
Associations for this icon might be:
6
6
WEATHER
UNDER
SHELTER RAIN
UMBRELLA
WHETHER
Icon Associations