My tendency has been to describe SGDs as Swiss army knife when it comes to computing, "does a lot of things, not very well". I am currently working with my client to have the eyemax access her standard email through Outlook express, as that will be a lot more functional for her than the email browser in the eyemax. (As a by the way, it continues to be a frustration that the email browser will not support common emails like Yahoo or Comcast.) But I do think that clients have to be realistic that these devices may not be able to do it all. On the other hand, I occasionally try streaming live TV or even Hulu on my own home computer, which is not absolutely top of the line, but not as slow as a DynaVox either, and the experience of it is spotty at best. So some of this is that the technology is not there yet in any case. But to the extent that we can get the SGDs working for computer tasks, it really is best to do that, the more it is integrated into their life, the easier the transition will be when they are not able to use standard computing options and have to have eyegaze or better switch options. Ed Hitchcock OT/L Technology Center Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago -----Original Message----- From: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Judge Simon (Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust) Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 2:41 PM To: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: using SGDs vs modifying computers I think this paper, by Anne Marie Renzoni from Bloorview is extremely enlightening around the comparative reliability of SGDs: http://www.assistech.org.uk/doku.php/research:voca_reliablity?s=sgd Cheers Simon -----Original Message----- From: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Coggiola, Jennifer L. Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 2010 4:16 PM To: xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: using SGDs vs modifying computers Hi eveyone, My high-tech patients have been really frustrated these past 2 years with their SGDs. They are on Dynavox (V Max/EyeMax) or Tobii (P10, C12/Ceye) devices. Everyone's devices have broken at some point. Most have sent them in for repairs at least 2 times. The SGD is not a fully functioning computer, even when unlocked. Patients have had problems with software incompatability, device freezing related to RAM or processor, not being able to watch online television/video due to limited RAM, slow uploading/downloading of email related to SGD company's server, etc. I'm really re-thinking the idea of introducing these into peoples lives vs keeping them on their computer as long as possible. Maybe only ordering the eyegaze systems as a last resort for my high tech patients, and having them give EZKeys a really long trial if they have a switch access point. My biggest challenge with using computers instead of SGDs is mounting. Has anyone else experienced this? Any success with mounting computers? Jen Coggiola, MA, CCC/SLP Speech Pathologist ALS Center at UCSF 400 Parnassus Ave., 8th Floor San Francisco, CA 94143 (415) 353-2122 clinic phone (415) 353-2524 clinic fax (925) 323-0175 cell phone xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ************************************************************************ ******************************************** This message may contain confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the sender that you have received the message in error before deleting it. Please do not disclose, copy or distribute information in this e-mail or take any action in reliance on its contents: to do so is strictly prohibited and may be unlawful. Thank you for your co-operation. 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