Synergistic Electronics

For product support, repairs and warranty claims, please email .

Black Squares Syndrome -

"When I turn my TrueTalk on the display turns on for an instant and then goes all black."

On rare occassions the TrueTalk may forget it's contrast setting, resulting in the "Black Squares Syndrome". The problem is easily corrected simply by reajusting the contrast level, although this must now be done "blind" as the display is not legible. Proceed as follows:

In all cases of this "black squares" syndrome, the above sequence has corrected the problem. If you still cannot get it working please send an email to the support address shown above or contact us by phone on +61 3 8611 7903.

TrueTalk Revision 2 User’s Manual

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

EvereadyÒ and EnergizerÒ are registered trademarks of Eveready Battery Company, Inc.

NOTICE

The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice.

Synergistic Electronics Pty Ltd makes no warranty of any kind with regard to this material.

Synergistic Electronics Pty Ltd shall not be liable for errors or omissions contained herein or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this material.

No part of this document may be photocopied, reproduced, or translated to another language or medium without the prior written consent of Synergistic Electronics Pty Ltd.

PRINTING HISTORY

Edition 1, February 1997

Edition 2, January 1998

Edition 3, May 2003

Edition 4, April 2006 (for Revision 2 TrueTalk)

Edition 5, February 2008 (changed phone numbers)

Edition 6, June 2012 (battery replacement picture)

CONTENTS

1. Introduction

1.1. Overview

1.2. Capabilities

1.3. Features

2. Familiarisation

2.1. Controls

2.1.1. POWER

2.1.2. CLIENT/CLEAR (PAGE)

2.1.3. PAUSE/SETUP (FIELD)

2.1.4. SYLLABLE (+)

2.1.5. ERROR (-)

2.2. Display

2.2.1. Session timer

2.2.2. Syllable count

2.2.3. Error count

2.2.4. Syllable rate

2.2.5. Error rate

2.2.6. Error percentage

3. Session Mode

3.1. What is Session Mode?

3.2. Turning the TrueTalk on

3.3. Entering correct syllables

3.4. Entering incorrect syllables

3.5. Timer backup

3.6. Other session operations

CONTENTS

4. Setup Mode

4.1. What is Setup Mode?

4.2. Setup Page 1

4.2.1. Time Limit

4.2.2. Timer Direction

4.2.3. Syllable Limit

4.3. Setup Page 2

4.3.1. Auto Timer Pause

4.3.2. Auto pace Pause

4.4. Setup Page 3

4.4.1. Rate Alert

4.4.2. Multi-Rate

4.5. Setup Page 4

4.5.1. Time-out light

4.6. Setup page 5

4.6.1. Restore Default Settings

5. Welcome Screen

5.1. Personalised Welcome Screen

6. Battery Replacement

6.1. Battery replacement

7. Service Information

7.1. Servicing information

7.2. Service address

7.3. Warranty

8. Specifications

8.1. Mechanical Specifications

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 OVERVIEW

Congratulations on your purchase of a TrueTalk speech rating instrument. In order to make the most of your TrueTalk's potential and features, we urge you to read this User's Manual thoroughly, and keep it in a safe place for future reference.

The TrueTalk is designed to be used by speech pathologists to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of speech disorders.

It is particularly suited for use with the Lidcombe Method of stuttering treatment, developed by the Australian Stuttering Research Centre. The TrueTalk can aid in the measurement of various speech parameters including rate, syllables uttered, defective syllables uttered, and defect percentage.

1.2 CAPABILITIES

Your TrueTalk measures the following quantities:

MEASUREMENT RESOLUTION ACCURACY

time 1.0 second +/- 0.1 sec

syllable count 1.0 syllable absolute

error count 1.0 syllable absolute

syllable rate 0.1 spm +/- 0.1 spm

error rate 0.1 spm +/- 0.1 spm

error percentage 0.1 % +/- 0.1 %

2.1.2 CLIENT/CLEAR (PAGE)

Session mode: When pushed for less than 1 second, this key is used to cycle through multiple clients. When pushed, the selected client number and total number of clients is shown in the top left of the display.

When pushed for 1 to 2 seconds, the current client data is cleared.

When pushed for more than 2 seconds, data for all clients is cleared.

Setup mode: Advances to the next page of setup information.

2.1.3 PAUSE/SETUP (FIELD)

Session mode: When pushed for less than 1 second, this button manually starts and stops the session timer.

NOTE: The session timer is normally controlled automatically by either the auto timer pause or auto pace pause functions, described in detail in sections 4.3.1 and 4.3.2

Pushing this button for more than 1 second enters or exits setup mode. Setup mode is described in detail in section 4.

Setup mode: Advances to the next setup field on the current screen (page).

2.1.4 SYLLABLE (+)

Session mode: Records a correctly uttered syllable, and starts the session timer, if it is paused.

Additionally, the auto time pause and auto pace pause functions are overridden while this key is held down. This timer-override feature is described in section 3.6

Setup mode: Increases or toggles the selected value.

2.1.5 ERROR (-)

Session mode: Records an incorrectly uttered syllable, and starts the session timer, if it is paused.

Additionally, as with the SYLLABLE key, the auto time pause and auto pace pause functions are overridden while this key is held down. This timer-override feature is described in section 3.6

Setup mode: Decreases or toggles the selected value.

2.2 DISPLAY

00:00▲ $ 0.0% s/m 0.0

s# 0 $# 0 $/m 0.0

During a rating session, 6 fields are presented on the display. Referring to the diagram above, these are:

2.2.1 SESSION TIMER 00:00▲

This indicates how long the rating session has been active. Note that it represents the time during which the client has been speaking, rather than how long the session has been in progress. See section 3.5 for more details.

2.2.2 SYLLABLE COUNT s#0000

This is the total number of syllables uttered during the current session. This field is increased by 1 whenever the SYLLABLE or ERROR keys are pushed.

3. SESSION MODE

3.1 WHAT IS SESSION MODE?

Your TrueTalk has two basic modes of operation, Session Mode and Setup Mode. Session mode is where all the work is done. This is where syllable data is entered, and speech rating calculations are performed. The TrueTalk defaults to this mode when it is first turned on.

3.2 TURNING THE TRUETALK ON

Turn the TrueTalk on by holding down the POWER button for one second. After a couple of seconds during which version and serial number information is shown, the session screen should appear. The session screen presents all the session information relating to the currently selected client:

session timer error percentage speech rate

¯ ¯ ¯

00:00▲ $ 0.0% s/m 0.0

s# 0 $# 0 $/m 0.0

syllable count error count error rate

3.3 ENTERING CORRECT SYLLABLES

The two larger buttons on the TrueTalk are the syllable input keys. As a client speaks, correct syllables are entered with the SYLLABLE key, and incorrect syllables (e.g. stutters) are entered with the ERROR key.

Push the SYLLABLE key once, and watch the display.

You will see the s# (number of syllables) field advance from 0 to 1, and the timer begin counting upward. Unless the setup has been changed, when the counter reaches about 5 seconds it will halt. You should also notice the s/m (syllables per minute) field changing as the timer counts upward.

00:05▲ $00.0% s/m 12.0

s# 1 $# 0 $/m 0.0

3.4 ENTERING INCORRECT SYLLABLES

Take note of the current display, and then push the ERROR key once.

This time you will see the $# (number of errors) field advance from 0 to 1, and the s# advance from 1 to 2. The s# field is increased because this field represents the total number of syllables, and an error is still regarded as a syllable. The $% (error percentage) should show 50%, indicating that half the syllables so far have been errors.

00:07▲ $50.0% s/m 15.3

S# 2 $# 1 $/m 7.6

3.5 TIMER BACKUP

If you were watching the timer, you may have noticed that it counted up for about another 5 seconds, and when it stopped it backed up a few seconds. Whenever the timer pauses, it backs up to the time when the last syllable was entered, plus an amount equal to the average period between syllables. This tends to filter out any long breaks in the client's speech. The TrueTalk does this in order to base its calculations on a theoretically continuous speech sample. When the timer pauses, and it is backed up in this manner, the s/m and $/m values are also updated, to reflect this more accurate timebase.

3.6 OTHER SESSION OPERATIONS

Pressing the PAUSE button will pause the timer if it is running, or restart it if it is has stopped. Pushing either the SYLLABLE or ERROR keys will also restart the timer. Holding either the SYLLABLE or ERROR keys depressed will over-ride the auto-pause functions, and prevent the timer from pausing.

Pushing the CLIENT button will briefly display the current client number at the upper left of the display. Pushing this button again while the client number is shown will advance to the next client. See section 4.4.2 (multi-rate) for more information.

Holding down the CLEAR button for one second will clear the session data for the current client. Holding it for two seconds will clear the session data for all clients.

Holding down the POWER button for one second will turn the TrueTalk off.

4. SETUP MODE

4.1 WHAT IS SETUP MODE?

Setup mode allows various session parameters, such as timer direction, session limits and auto-pause functions to be altered to best suit the individual client(s) or situation.

To toggle in or out of SETUP MODE, press and hold the SETUP button for one second.

Parameters that can be adjusted within SETUP MODE are:

1. timer direction

2. session time limit

3. session syllable limit

4. auto timer-pause value

5. auto pacer-pause value

6. rate-alert (speech rate limit)

7. multi-rate (number of clients)

8. timeout light operation

9. restore default settings

These parameters are accessed from 5 different setup screens, or ‘pages’. To cycle through the pages, press the PAGE button. To cycle through different setup fields on a page, press the FIELD button. To modify a setup value, press the + or – keys.

The setup pages and parameters are explained in the following sections.

4.2 SETUP PAGE 1

Time-limit Syl-Limit

10:00▲ on 1000 on

4.2.1 TIME LIMIT

This setup function can be used to set a time limit on the rating session. Turning this function on causes the TrueTalk to halt the session after the specified time.

4.2.2 TIMER DIRECTION

This setup function specifies whether the timer is to count upwards, showing elapsed time, or downwards, showing remaining time. The count direction is indicated by the arrow immediately to the right of the time field.

4.2.3 SYLLABLE LIMIT

This setup function can be used to set a limit on the number of syllables in a rating session. Activating this function causes the TrueTalk to halt the session after the specified number of syllables.

NOTE:

If both this function and the t-lim function are enabled, the first limit reached will halt the session.

4.3 SETUP PAGE 2

Timer-Pause Pace-Pause

sec:5.0 on syls: 5 off

4.3.1 AUTO TIMER PAUSE

This setup function controls one of the three ways in which the session timer can be paused (auto-time, auto-pace, or manual). Turning this function on causes the timer to pause a set number of seconds after the last syllable was entered.

NOTE: When the timer pauses it will normally back up a bit, as explained in section 3.5.

4.3.2 AUTO PACE PAUSE

During the course of a session, your TrueTalk continually calculates the average syllable rate. This result is shown on the session screen as s/m. In addition to this, your TrueTalk determines the average time period between syllables. AUTO PACE PAUSE, when enabled, pauses the timer when no syllables are entered for a specified multiple of this period.

For example, if this function were enabled with a value of 5, and after some time into a session the client's speech rate was 120spm, the timer would pause if no syllables were entered for 2.5 seconds. This would be derived from the setup value of 5 multiplied by the average period between syllables of 0.5 seconds.

This means that a slow speaking client is given more time to continue with the next syllable than a faster speaking client, as opposed to the auto-timer pause function which could pause the timer thinking that the client had stopped speaking when in actual fact they were merely between sentences.

4.4 SETUP PAGE 3

Rate-Alert Multi-Rate

s/m:400 off clients:3

4.4.1 RATE ALERT

If this function is turned on, whenever the current clients speech rate exceeds the Rate Alert value, the timeout-light is activated. If the timeout beep feature is turned on (see setup page 4), a speech rate warning beep will also sound.

4.4.2 MULTI-RATE

The TrueTalk is able to rate multiple clients in one session. This setup parameter determines the number of clients in a session. If you do not wish to use the multi-rate feature you may set this to 1.

During a rating session, whenever the CLIENT button is pushed, the session timer briefly changes to show the current client number and the number of clients. For example 1/3 indicates the session screen is displaying data for client 1 of 3. Subsequent pushes of the CLIENT button while the client number is being displayed will cycle through the different clients.

4.5 SETUP PAGE 4

Timeout Light

secs: 5 #$: 4 beep:on

4.5.1 TIME-OUT LIGHT

The time-out light is an optional light which connects to the TrueTalk via a socket on the right side of the case. The time-out light is a visual cue for the client to slow down (refer to section 4.4.1 – Rate Alert) or stop speaking (have some “time-out”).

The setup screen above shows the time-out light set to activate for 5 seconds, whenever 4 incorrect syllables have been uttered. Additionally, the TrueTalk will emit a ‘beep’ sound when the time-out period is over.

4.6 SETUP PAGE 5

Restore Default Settings

Press + and – to restore

4.6.1 RESTORE DEFAULT SETTINGS

Press the + and – keys simultaneously to restore all setup parameters to their default settings.

6. BATTERY REPLACEMENT

6.1 BATTERY REPLACEMENT

Your TrueTalk requires one “AAA” size 1.5 volt battery for power. It is recommended that only alkaline cells such as Eveready “Energizer” be used, as these have both a higher capacity and a longer shelf life than carbon-zinc batteries.

6.1.1 Separate the front and rear halves of the case. The front of the case forms a “U” shape which must be prized apart slightly to release the rear “C” shape section. Partially release one end at a time as shown in the picture and then slide the rear section off evenly so as not to over-stress either end.

6.1.2 Remove the spent battery from the holder clips, and replace with a fresh battery, taking particular care of battery polarity.

6.1.3 It is extremely important to observe the correct battery polarity. Installing the battery the wrong way around will cause instant and irreversible damage to the circuitry, even if the TrueTalk is not turned on.

6.1.4 Check that the TrueTalk operates correctly with the new battery, before re-joining the case halves.

7. SERVICE INFORMATION

7.1 SERVICING INFORMATION

Your TrueTalk contains a microcomputer, and owing to the complex nature of such devices, repair by unqualified personnel is unwise.

If, during the life of this instrument, it fails to operate correctly, and proper performance cannot be restored by any means described in this owner’s manual, it should be returned to the manufacturer for repair.

NOTE:

Before returning your TrueTalk for repair, please contact us by phone, fax, post or email with a description of the problem or fault, as return may not be necessary.

7.2 SERVICE ADDRESS

All service correspondence should be addressed to:

Synergistic Electronics Pty. Ltd.

P.O. Box 1066

Launceston TAS 7250 AUSTRALIA

Phone +61 3 8611 7903

Fax +61 3 8611 7903

Email info@synelec.com.au

Web www.synelec.com.au - or - www.truetalk.com.au