MSWA Bulletin Magazine Autumn 18

COMMUNICATING THROUGH
TECHNOLOGY: WHAT’S NEW?
LUCY STROM, MSWA SPEECH PATHOLOGIST
Some people with multiple sclerosis and other neurological
conditions find it difficult using Smartphones to text or surf the
internet because these devices are becoming smaller every
year. And with that, the keyboards are becoming smaller and
harder to use too. These smaller keyboards are particularly
hard to use for people with limited hand mobility, decreased
sensation in their fingers or those who experience chorea (an
uncontrolled movement).
Some people simply have large fingers that press three buttons
at once, instead of the one that they want to press! If you are
one of these people, don’t worry. There are some exciting
new (and free) iOS applications (Apps) and wireless devices
out at the moment that are helping people communicate
through technology!
AntzFree - Use your head!
AntzFree is a fantastic new free iOS App that uses your front
facing camera to follow your head movements like a mouse
(hands free). So far, the device includes a keyboard that
allows text to speech, but developers hope to include Twitter
and games in the future!
Vysor
Vysor is a Chrome mirroring App that displays your Smartphone
on your computer or laptop. This App is great for people who
have difficulty using small phones or tablet keyboards. Once
your phone is wirelessly connected to your computer you can
use your larger computer keyboard and mouse to send text
messages, surf the internet, check your bank accounts or
update your Facebook status. The Vysor App does cost about
$2.50 a month, so make sure that it is appropriate for you.
Wireless keyboards
Wireless keyboards are a great way to attach a larger surface
to your Smartphone or tablet through Bluetooth. There is a
wide range of wireless keyboards available, ranging from $10
at Kmart to $120 Logitech keyboards. I would suggest going
to your nearest Officeworks or JB HI-FI to look through their
options. These stores will let you try the device before you
buy it, so make sure that your Bluetooth connection on your
phone is working before you purchase anything.
Text to speech or speech to text?
Did you know that there are several iPhone and Android
applications (Apps) that you can use to communicate more
effectively? Some of these Apps create speech from text and
others create text from speech... Are you still with me?
Let’s start with Apps that convert text to speech. To use
these Apps, you simply type what you want to say into your
smartphone or tablet, click ‘speak’ and the App will talk for
you! These Apps are particularly helpful for people who have
quiet voices or difficulty talking. Listed below are some Apps
that convert text to speech:
• ClaroCom
• Text To Speech
• SayIt
• Speak4Me
• Predictable
• Speak My Words - Text to Speech
Just to confuse you, there are some Apps that work the other
way around, so they turn your speech into text when you
speak into your device. These Apps are great for people on
the go who want to quickly send text messages or emails but
don’t have time to sit down and type out a message.
One example of this is using ‘Siri’ on your iPhone. If you have
an iPhone, Siri is a great way to search the internet quickly,
send text messages, check the weather and make calls
without having to touch your telephone! Some Apps that turn
speech into text include:
• Dragon Dictation
• Speech to Text Dictate Message
• Transcribe - Speech to Text
• iSpeech - Speech to Text
If you are interested in using any of the new technology
mentioned in this article please contact one of our
Speech Pathologists on 9365 4888, or feel free to come
down to the Speech Pathology office at Wilson for a free
trial on one of our iPads.
MSWA BULLETIN AUTUMN 2018 | 17