The ATIA (Assisitve Technology Industry Association) Convention is this week in Orlando. Often, new products are launched at this conference and this year is no exception. I sent an earlier message at Prentke Romich announcing the new eye gaze system, the ECOpoint, and now Tobii Technology is announcing new products including the Lightwriter SL40. I am sending this info so we can all try keep up to date with new products, especially when new devices are being introduced to the market.

Tobii launches ten new AAC products

Boston, January 28, 2009 – Today Tobii Technology AB announced its U.S. launch of ten new assistive and augmentative communication (AAC) products that give individuals with communication disabilities a voice and a way to live more fulfilled, integrated and independent lives.

Tobii ATI is releasing two brand new alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) devices - the Tobii C8 and the Tobii C12 - that help individuals with speech impairments communicate by converting text and symbols into speech.

“The launch of the Tobii C8 and C12 is a proud moment for us. We have taken what we have learned from our successful Mercury, Mini Mercury and MyTobii P10 products and paired that with the market’s requests for a lighter, more reliable and energy efficient device. The result is a communication platform that will help many remarkable individuals to live more fulfilled, integrated and independent lives,” says Jane Walerud, Business Area Manager of Assistive Technologies at Swedish Tobii Technology AB.

Both models are modular, meaning that they can be tuned to the changing needs of the user in terms of software applications and input methods.

Tobii C8 turns text and symbols into speech and more…

The Tobii C8 is an eight-inch device that generates speech from text and symbols. It can be operated by the built-in touch screen, a switch, a head mouse, as well as a regular keyboard and mouse. Integral infrared control also makes it possible to control a stereo or TV, switch lights on and off, and more.

Tobii C12 adds a larger screen and eye-control

The Tobii C12 is a twelve-inch device suitable for individuals who need larger symbols or more screen space. It supports the same input methods as the smaller Tobii C8, but also has an additional module that supports eye control, the Tobii CEye. This makes it an ideal solution for those who can’t use a regular keyboard.

Launched together with seven other AAC products

The Tobii C8 and C12 will be launched today at ATIA, Orlando. So will the following products:

· Tobii CEye – an optional eye control module

· Lightwriter® SL40, a text-to-speech device

· A new version of Tobii Communicator 4.3

· The brand new SymbolMate for creating paper based communication pages

· Sono Key – A user interface for Tobii Communicator that provides streamlined, comprehensive and easy access to the communication device.

· Sono Scribe – Sono Scribe enhances typing speeds through the use of word and next word prediction as well as smart phrasing.

· Sono Lexis – A powerful, modular system of symbol vocabulary page sets that enable users without literacy skills to build their own sentences word by word.

· Our colleague in Assistive Technology, Prentke-Romich Inc. is launching the ECOpoint, which is our Embedded Systems new eye tracker.