| 摘要 |
HAND-HELD COMMUNICATION DEVICE AND SYSTEM EMPLOYING SUCH DEVICES A hand-held communication device which serves as an alternative to a keyboard and, in addition, allows the user to receive communications via the sense of touch. Although not so limited, the device is well-adapted for use by persons who are speechless, deaf and speechless, or even blind, deaf and speechless. In one embodiment, the device includes a handle-like body supporting eight switch actuators arranged as four pairs, with each of the pairs corresponding to a particular finger. The two switch actuators are positioned for selective activation by distal and proximal segments of a single finger. With this arrangement, the eight switch actuators can be selected in any desired combination to directly generate an eight-bit binary code, such as ASCII. In addition, to facilitate twoway communication, another embodiment includes a plurality of selectivley controlled tactile stimulation elements, such as vibrators or controlled "click" devices, corresponding to particular ones of the switch actuators and mechanically connected thereto. |
