Development of a speech learning machine for the hearing impaired. Use of technological applications for assisting the deaf to develop comprehensible language. A voice recognition device will be coupled through computer to a color display. Clearly enunciated words will be displayed together with the printed word, and if desired, graphics depicting mouth shape and tongue position, etc. The hearing impaired will then try to emulate the picture on the screen with his own voice, thus learning how to speak without hearing the words.Anticipated results/
Potential Commercial Applications: Speech learning is done by mimicing sounds and combinations of sounds, coupled with other visual and sometimes tactile stimuli. A hearing impaired person cannot hear and so cannot tell what sound to make, nor can they hear the sound they make. By using a voice recognition device as input for a video display with frequency, amplitude and quality displayed as variables in X and Y values plus color and intensity, a picture could be made of normal speech, which the hearing impaired person would then mimic, thus substituting eyes for ears in the learning process. This would be supplemented by graphics showing mouth shape, tongue position, etc. as an option. The hardware could be implemented as a separate electronic product or as a peripheral for a Personal Computer. These could be sold to all those teaching the hearing impaired to both simplify and improve the speech learning process.
