The
Digital Voice Box (DVB) was designed to provide an effective
method of communication for children with autism. The heart
of the DVB is an ISD25120 Chipcorder® that is
capable of storing up to sixteen different messages onto the
voice record/playback chip (see Figure 1). The chip is
mounted in a box with a keypad. Audio is heard through a
speaker which is also mounted in the box. The default mode
is play. To record a message, a microphone must be plugged
into the jack on the box. Individual messages can be played
or recorded by pressing the appropriate button on the
keypad. The DVB provides a simple method for autistic
children to communicate with parents and teachers. It is
powered by rechargeable batteries and requires a recharge
approximately every four to six days. Ultimately, it is
intended to give an autistic child a sense of independence
which in turn, will stimulate the child’s communication
skills.
