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Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
I'm posting this in this section of the forum because although if I can get this to work I do have some magic applications for it. But the main reason has nothing to do with magic. It'll also be helpful to me on the business end of magic (AS in making phone calls to book gigs). So although this isn't specifically about magic it does have an effect on my career. That's why I'm posing about this here.
Ok, here's the deal. I need to find a way to make some kind of a sound indicator for a mobile phone. Let me explain my reason for it. I use a service called captel to make phone calls. To understand my need I should explain how this works. Imagine you yourself are doing that I'm about to outline. -Go to the special website to make a call. -Enter your phone number and the number of the person you want to call. The service will first call your phone. As soon as you answer it the service will call the number you are calling. When they answer you, the service and the person you are calling are basically in a 3 way call. -You talk to them on your phone and they talk back to you like any normal phone call. But you'll be able to read what ever they say to you on your computer. Now here's the problem. If you are deaf how do you know when they are or aren't talking? The is a pause moment between the time they talk to you and the time the words will appear on your screen. This has caused them to hang up on my on occasions. The first words I usually read on my screen are "Hello.... Hello.... Hello". This means it took that long for me to see the words on my screen after they actually spoke them. So sometimes they hand up as if they are getting a prank call. Now if I had some way to be able to "See" when they are actually talking then I'll know the moment they answer or when they are or aren't talking. So I won't talk over them. I used to have a device called a Pocket VCO that had a little LED light that would brighten when sound came though the phone (IF you do to the above link you'll see a picture of it. The sound indicator light is the little dot on the left on it's front). So, I doubt there are any mobile phones out there that already have this so I'm trying to think of a way to make one. I'm thinking maybe a small microphone that I can have in front of the speaker on the phone that's attached to a small light instead of a speaker. I'm not all that knowledgeable about that kind of thing but it makes sense that the power that goes to the speaker could also power a small light. In other words the louder the sound the brighter the light. Do any of you know if I'm right in this theory? If not do you know what I might need to make it work? I'm hoping some of you in here are more knowledgable in this sort of thing then I am and might be able to point me in the right direction. If I can get this to work, and on any phone (that I can attach to any phone, even if by rubber band. LOL) then it would be very helpful. I just found a rather intense version of the kind of "Sound indicator" I'm looking for. But what I need to is do this with a tiny LED light and to pick up the sounds from the phone call. It also need to work on any phone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph32hbmPQWA Ron Jaxon |
MagicSanta Inner circle Northern Nevada 5841 Posts |
I know what you are talking about but unfortunately the guy I knew who could do it passed away. Groups for the deaf may have a lead but I've seem similar things that show sound on a little image, I'm afraid I don't know the terminology. It is out there though.
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Destiny Inner circle 1429 Posts |
Ron,
If you need the computer for the call anyway, isn't it possible to take the call through the computer? That way it would be much easier to set up a visual monitor of the sound levels. Either that or suggest that callers text you - and save the cost of the service. I used a service like this when I spoke to a deaf bookkeeper at the hospital where I had my nose job, and they were very careful to ask me to stay on the phone till she responded. You would think for the money I imagine they are charging you, the service would take care of this. Best of Luck Destiny |
Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
Thanks everyone.
Actually this service is new and different then the one you likely used Destiny. If I called you with this service you wouldn't hear an operator at all. The only persons voice you'd here is mine. If the timing was a little better (Which I hope this sound indicator idea will help) then you wouldn't even know you where in a phone call with a deaf person. That is unless you can tell by their speech. But the person I call doesn't even know I'm using any kind of service. To them it's just a normal call. There is talk of using skype with this service. But that would only work if I have it with me. If I use a mobile phone with the right kind of web browser then I can use that to read the text. But I'd be able to use any phone for the actual phone call. So this sound indicator would need to work with any phone. Thanks again for the replies. Ron Jaxon |
Destiny Inner circle 1429 Posts |
Sorry to be curious but unhelpful - but does this mean you have recorded a library or words in your voice so that a 'text to speech' program translates what you type into your voice?
If so that is a wonderful advance. I have a Palm Treo and, out of interest, was just checking if I can download a program to it that would provide a visual sound monitor, but no luck. Destiny |
Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
Believe me just the fact that you put some thought into it is helpful. Thanks for that.
IT would be great if it worked that way. Someday I'm voice recognition technology will allow us to make relay calls without an operator listening, but the technology isn't quite advanced enough for that just yet. I can't wait for it to happen though. Ho this service works is there is an operator listening to the person I call. They use voice recognition (Speak into a computer microphone) to send the text to me. So there is an operator that provides the text but they can only hear one half of the conversation and we never herd them at all. So it's a lot more discrete then normal TTY calls (which is most likely what any of you have experienced if you've talked to a deaf person on the phone. The service I'm using is mainly for people like me who are deaf but can speak. Thanks again for your suggestions and thoughts. I sure hope I can get this working. It could help a lot of deaf people. Ron Jaxon |
Destiny Inner circle 1429 Posts |
It sure seems to be heading in the right direction and if you can get a visual monitor happening that would really make a difference - I've played round with text to speech programs and it's amazing what can be done now.
Best of luck - it's a worthy pursuit. Destiny |
ClintonMagus Inner circle Southwestern Southeast 3997 Posts |
I would think there should be a fairly simple way to modify a headset to include a small amplifier that will produce enough of a signal to light or blink an LED when sound is coming through it.
Things are more like they are today than they've ever been before...
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Jaxon Inner circle Kalamazoo, Mi. 2537 Posts |
Thanks everyone.
I think I found out that my theory was correct in this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTNcV4FzE8o I'm going to pick up a small microphone. I wonder if I need a speaker of if I can bypass that and just hook the LED up where the speaker would normally go. Ron Jaxon |
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