Ability Forum

[THOMASJACOB]

I have heard that in foreign countries they have special Telephones meant for the hearing impaired and most of the government organization and Universities abroad have this facility installed. I heard that its called TTY. What does TTY stand for? How does it work? Does that device convert spoken langugage to text simultaneosuly during the process of communication? Can this device not be instaled India? What are the requirements of the same.

Thanks and Regards
Thomas

I have heard that in foreign countries they have special Telephones meant for the hearing impaired and most of the government organization and Universities abroad have this facility installed. I heard that its called TTY. What does TTY stand for? How does it work? Does that device convert spoken langugage to text simultaneosuly during the process of communication? Can this device not be instaled India? What are the requirements of the same.

Thanks and Regards
Thomas

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[raghavanpk]

This link would help those who are interested in knowing more about TTY devices.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Telecommunications_device_for_the_deaf&oldid=140765013.


I have Accessed it today the June 27, 2007. At times contents might get changed when you visit.

This link would help those who are interested in knowing more about TTY devices.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Telecommunications_device_for_the_deaf&oldid=140765013.


I have Accessed it today the June 27, 2007. At times contents might get changed when you visit.

[Vic]

Thanks Raghavan - good link.

Thomas - TTY stands for Tele-Typing. These are also known as minicoms in the UK. Basically this is a device that helps communicate with HI - but the catch is you need one on each end of the telephone line to be able to communicate using a TTY. Most businesses in UK have a minicom so people with HI can communicate by 'calling' from their TTY. In effect the TTY system works in some ways like 'sms texting'.

To be honest TTY is a rather old technology that was introduced before the computer or mobile revolution. In todays day & age most communication functions of TTY are achieved by email and sms texts.

_________________
Vikas

AccessAbility

Thanks Raghavan - good link.

Thomas - TTY stands for Tele-Typing. These are also known as minicoms in the UK. Basically this is a device that helps communicate with HI - but the catch is you need one on each end of the telephone line to be able to communicate using a TTY. Most businesses in UK have a minicom so people with HI can communicate by 'calling' from their TTY. In effect the TTY system works in some ways like 'sms texting'.

To be honest TTY is a rather old technology that was introduced before the computer or mobile revolution. In todays day & age most communication functions of TTY are achieved by email and sms texts.

_________________
Vikas

AccessAbility

[Vic]

Thomas,

I missed some points from your post:

Thomas,

I missed some points from your post:

[THOMASJACOB]

Thanks so much Vikas for all your concerns and posting the detailed information.

Hope to  get a chance to visit the Accessability office one day in Delhi.

I did go through the website of RNID, again a lot of questions after seeing the different products available with them

Regards
Thomas

Thanks so much Vikas for all your concerns and posting the detailed information.

Hope to  get a chance to visit the Accessability office one day in Delhi.

I did go through the website of RNID, again a lot of questions after seeing the different products available with them

Regards
Thomas

[Dsamant]

Hello Thomas,

Building up on Vikas's response, TTY works in the following manner:

1. Both individuals communicating need to have a text entry and display unit (the TTY device)
2. The person making the call essentially has a keyboard connected to a phone line. They type in text using the keyboard
3. This text is transmitted over the phone line, and the person on the other end receives the message on a display unit
4. They type back and the conversation continues

In order to communicate with a person on their regular phone, i.e. someone using only voice, another system known as the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) is used. In this case you have a middle-person in the form of an operator who facilitates that call. So TRS basically allows you to use your TTY device to communicate with someone who uses a voice phone.

In the US, TRS is a 24 hour call center service.

This is how it works:
1. You call the TRS center, where an assistant will help you to place the call to the voice phone you are trying to reach
2. You type in using the keyboard on your TTY device
3. The assistant will speak what you type to the person with the voice phone
4. The assistant will type back what the other person says and this will be displayed on your TTY machine. This keeps happening back and forth throughout the conversation. It works the same way when a person with a voice phone wants to call a TTY user.

The key here is that the TRS service is a mandated, state-funded, free service. In the US there are strict regulations that govern the accessibility of Communication Systems. We do not have the same protections in India.

However I am thinking that this service could be offered by a private entity. Does anybody know if there are such services available?

Again in the US, the state rehabilitation departments usually pay for your TTY device. I highly doubt that Indian authorities would bear this price. I am not sure how much such a device would cost in India.

Hope this has been useful and we should think of starting such services in India. Any thoughts?

Deepti

Hello Thomas,

Building up on Vikas's response, TTY works in the following manner:

1. Both individuals communicating need to have a text entry and display unit (the TTY device)
2. The person making the call essentially has a keyboard connected to a phone line. They type in text using the keyboard
3. This text is transmitted over the phone line, and the person on the other end receives the message on a display unit
4. They type back and the conversation continues

In order to communicate with a person on their regular phone, i.e. someone using only voice, another system known as the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) is used. In this case you have a middle-person in the form of an operator who facilitates that call. So TRS basically allows you to use your TTY device to communicate with someone who uses a voice phone.

In the US, TRS is a 24 hour call center service.

This is how it works:
1. You call the TRS center, where an assistant will help you to place the call to the voice phone you are trying to reach
2. You type in using the keyboard on your TTY device
3. The assistant will speak what you type to the person with the voice phone
4. The assistant will type back what the other person says and this will be displayed on your TTY machine. This keeps happening back and forth throughout the conversation. It works the same way when a person with a voice phone wants to call a TTY user.

The key here is that the TRS service is a mandated, state-funded, free service. In the US there are strict regulations that govern the accessibility of Communication Systems. We do not have the same protections in India.

However I am thinking that this service could be offered by a private entity. Does anybody know if there are such services available?

Again in the US, the state rehabilitation departments usually pay for your TTY device. I highly doubt that Indian authorities would bear this price. I am not sure how much such a device would cost in India.

Hope this has been useful and we should think of starting such services in India. Any thoughts?

Deepti

[Kr_iyer]

Hi,

I remember TTY being used instead of console in the mainframes. They are also used  for Telex machines. In the advanced age You can have SMS.IM replacing the need  and cost of TTY. You cany get even the Paper Roll and Ribbon for these machine. It is as old as Typwriter today . You have to think of voice translation, Like they have tried with the lotus smart suiter for dictation. The task is difficult as Optical Charcter Recognition , It is only 40% percent Sucess. I dont know what has happened to voice conversion technology, I will find out

Bye

_________________
If they answer not to thy call walk alone,
If they are afraid and cower mutely facing the wall,
O thou unlucky one,
open thy mind and speak out alone.
RABINDRANATH TAGORE

Hi,

I remember TTY being used instead of console in the mainframes. They are also used  for Telex machines. In the advanced age You can have SMS.IM replacing the need  and cost of TTY. You cany get even the Paper Roll and Ribbon for these machine. It is as old as Typwriter today . You have to think of voice translation, Like they have tried with the lotus smart suiter for dictation. The task is difficult as Optical Charcter Recognition , It is only 40% percent Sucess. I dont know what has happened to voice conversion technology, I will find out

Bye

_________________
If they answer not to thy call walk alone,
If they are afraid and cower mutely facing the wall,
O thou unlucky one,
open thy mind and speak out alone.
RABINDRANATH TAGORE