SBIR-STTR Award

Icon, animation, LAN, modem, telephony, windows, e-mail, fax windows icon based telecommunications software to enable the use of standard LAN (local area network) based systems like Novell Netware, Artisoft Lantastic, Banyan Vines, Microsoft LAN Manager & Netbios, to make outgoing calls and receive incoming calls. It will also enable a caller to leave a message in the electronic mail incorporated in the LAN system and automatically dispatch the message to the individual calf fad. This is a fundamental innovation in the LAN environment, a rapidly expanding technology in many office complexes and government buildings. It is rapidly displacing analog and digital telephone lines, resulting in substantial savings in both maintenance and operating costs. More and more offices are being equipped with LAN wall jacks rather than the conventional phone jacks. It will simplify the installation of TDD capability into any office without the need for dedicated lines with substantial savings in monthly charges and maintenance costs, providing ready access to deaf users. The change will only involve the installation of fairly standardized low cost software (about $50.00 per terminal) in the computer. LAN will soon be the gold standard for video telephony. The windows based software, using ICON based animation, will be combined with zoom' capability to magnify the text up to a maximum of 200 points; a boon for the visually impaired. The telecommunication server will use the new Multimedia Omnifone mic9624e external modem, developed by the principal investigator under an SBIR phase II grant in progress.Results:The commercial potential for a LAN TDD is substantial it is not only a significant technical advance in telephony but will also result in considerable economies in government offices and private sector office buildings. It will eliminate the need for TDD answering machines and dedicated TDD lines along with the special hardware interfaces for each dedicated line. LAN TDD lends itself to easy adaptation and upgradingto meet many new and innovative features that are integral to modern telephony. These will include fax capability, voice synthesis, voice recognition, voice recording and video telephony, just by the addition of low cost software upgrades. One can anticipate an escalation in savings that will accrue as the LAN TDD is progressively introduced into most or all government and corporate as well as private sector offices.

Microflip Inc. has developed hardware and software tomeet the growing use of Public Telephone Networks (PTN). Thereare four new, fast growing communications media impacting both onthe Corporate world and the home. Digital Telephony uses the ISDNnetwork, Computer Telephony uses LAN, Cellular phones use highradio frequency carriers. This explosion of technology hasignored TDD accessibility. The Giants in the TelecommunicationIndustry do not consider research and development in theDisabilities field to be cost effective. Most of the new systemsreplace the older services and thus impact mainly on emergencyservices such as road break downs, police, ambulance, services,to name but a few. The emergency services increasingly rely oncellular phones to communicate with a person in an emergencysituation. The Personal Digital Assistant, a highly portablemedium with vast potential, incorporates the latest features suchas e-mail, fax and data communication. This again, leaves thehearing impaired groping in the dark. The PDA's are expandingrapidly, both in Business and domestic use. Most modem tools canbe adapted for use by the hearing impaired by simple inexpensive,ultra portable software and hardware that meet the specific needsof the deaf so that they may become part of the human family.

Anticipated Results:
The commercial potential for a LAN TDD,CELLULAR TDD, ISDN TDD and PDA TDD are very substantial. It isnot only a significant technical advance in computer telephonybut will also result in very substantial economies in governmentoffices, private sector office buildings and even in the home. Itwill eliminate the need for dedicated TDD machines and TDD linesalong with the special hardware interfaces required. The deafwill no longer be hampered by obsolete PTN systems (publicTelephone Network) and they will enjoy the same flexibility inthe choice of the appropriate communication medium.LAN/CELLULAR/ISDN/PDA TDD. These modern systems lend themselvesto easy adaptation and upgrading to meet the innovative featuresthat are integral to modern telephony. These will include Faxcapability, Voice synthesis, Voice Recognition, Voice Recordingand Video Telephony, Just by the addition of low cost softwareupgrades. One can anticipate an major short and long term savingsthat will accrue as the LAN/CELLULAR/ISDN/PDA TDD systems arerapidly introduced into most or all Government and Corporate aswell as private sector offices and even homes.