Features ...... 2 I. Introduction ...... 4 1. Device Description ...... 4 2. Specification ...... 6 II. External View and Description ...... 7 1. Front ...... 7 2. Back ...... 8 3. Input/Output Jacks ...... 9 4. Control Panel ...... 10 III. Basic Operation Instructions ...... 11 1. Power Up ...... 11 2. Recording and Playing ...... 12 A. Recording Procedure ...... 12 B. Playback Procedure ...... 16 3. Page Selection and Page Formats ...... 18 A. Page Descriptions ...... 18 B. Using the page binder ...... 20 C. Designing a Page and Loading in Speech ...... 22 4. Using the Toy Control Page ...... 25 5. Volume Control ...... 27 IV. Special Features ...... 29 1. Using switches ...... 29 A. Normal Usage...... 29 B. Using Switches for the Toy Control Page ...... 33 C. Auditory Scanning – Single Switch...... 35 D. Dual Switch Scanning ...... 38 V. Charging the Rechargeable Battery Pack ...... 39 VI. CF Card Q & A ...... 41 Warranty ...... 42 1

Features

Features The Blue Bird II utilizes Compact Flash (CF) memory cards to greatly increase the memory capacity of the device. Recording time per message is now only restricted by the size of the memory card. A "flip page" design is a convenient way to store 11 possible board designs. This allows the user to turn to the desired page and have instant access to the corresponding messages.

A 15 degree unit tilt is now possible with the addition of the unit stand built into Blue Bird II.

An added hand strap on the back of the unit allows for easier positioning and more support while holding the unit.

I. Introduction

1. Device Description

The Blue Bird II is designed as a communication device to be used by people with language disabilities, traumatic brain injury, developmental delays, and other disabilities that affect their ability to communicate verbally. It can also be used as a teaching tool for vocabulary development, instruction in a second language, and many other learning applications. The users can express themselves by pointing and pressing on the corresponding message icons on the various pages to activate the recorded voice message. The Blue Bird II is portable and has 11 levels of possible programming allowing the users to expand their range of possible vocabulary and increasing their ability to socialize and interact with the world at large.

The system uses a 32-bit microprocessor and expandable Compact Flash (CF) memory card, providing instant voice recording and playback. The total recording time is dependant on the memory card inserted (1Gb allows for approximately 175 minutes). Apart from the toy control page, which can operate two cells, the other 10 levels can each have 24 recorded messages giving a total of 242 possible individual messages.

The Blue Bird II also has multiple switch connections for single switch auditory scanning, double switch auditory scanning, and for controlling external toys. The Scanning mode is built with a voice prompt feature that 4

plays through the earphones so the user can listen for their message before activating the switch to output the selected message through the loud speaker. The unit is powered by the rechargeable battery pack and can be charged by the included battery charger.

2. Specification

Item Specification Size 30cm × 21.4cm × 3.9cm Page Size 20.6cm × 19.3 cm Unit Weight (NET) 0.8 kg Unit Weight (Incl. Battery) 0.9 kg Unit Weight (Incl. Bag) 1.3 kg Dependant on memory card Total Recording Time (1GB = approx. 175 mins) Recording Pages 11 Pages Recording Messages 242 Messages Accessible Switch Input 4 Toy Control Output 2 Scanning Mode Auditory Prompt Scanning Power Supply Rechargeable battery pack

II. External View and Description

1. Front (1)

(7) (2) (6)

(8) (5)

(3) (4) (1) Power Switch: At the top of the unit to turn the unit On/Off. (2) Control Panel: Buttons and LED indicators to adjust the volume and to access the 11 possible programmable levels. (3) Speaker: For voice message playback. (4) Internal Microphone: Speak into this location for clear speech recording. (5) Touch Panel Area: 24 possible distinct cells to touch, record, and playback. (6) Message Page Binder: Used to bind the 11 turning pages. (7) Input/Output Jacks: Detail descriptions in section 3. (8) Memory Card Slot : CF Card Slot.

2. Back (1) (2) (4) (3)

(6) (5)

(1) Message Page Binder Lever: Opens and closes the binder rings. (2) Battery Pack: The pack is rechargeable when used with the external power adaptor included with the Blue Bird II. (3) Anti-slip support: (4) Hand Strap Attachment: For easy hand portability and stability. (5) Unit Stand: Provides a 15 degree tilt. (6) CF Memory Card Slot: Back view of the Compact Flash Card Slot.

3. Input/Output Jacks

(1) Power Jack: For connecting the external power adaptor (DC 12V) which plugs into the residential AC supply (110V). (1) (2) Record/Playback Switch: Switching between the record (2) mode and playback mode. (3) (3) Earphone Jack: For voice (4) prompt while using the scanning function. (5) (4) Single Scanning Switch: The single switch scanning is activated when a switch is plugged in here. (5) Toy Jack: Plug switch activated (6) toys into these jacks. Jack 3 and Jack 4 will control the toys connected to these jacks. (6) Accessible Switch Input: Jack 1

and Single Scanning Switch are for “dual switch scanning” while Jack 3 and 4 are for controlling toys.

4. Control Panel

(1) Recording

Indicator LED: The indicator flashes red when the (1) (2) Record/Playb ack switch is set to record. (2) Low (3) Battery/Char (3) ging Indicator LED: This indicator (4) turns red for a (5) few seconds (6) and then the unit turn off when the battery is running low. When the rechargeable battery pack is charging, this indicator turns green. This indicator turn off after the battery pack has been fully charged. (3) Page Selection Buttons: Press to select the desired page and the corresponding red LED will light up. (4) Toy Control Page: Press this button to activate the toy control page. (5) Volume Control: Use this to adjust the volume. (6) Operation Indicator: Lights up when the unit is recording or playing back a message. 10

III. Basic Operation Instructions

1. Power Up

To turn on the unit, simply click on the power switch (pressing the switch down to the left).

Note: When you first turn on the Blue Bird II, you should hear a single beep as the battery indicator light flashes, followed by a double beep as the lamp for Page 1 lights up. This is an indicator that everything is working fine. If this is not the response that you see, make sure that the memory card is inserted properly. If the card is inserted, call the Saltillo service department at 1-800-382-8622. The pattern of lights will help the service personnel to troubleshoot the problem.

2. Recording and Playing

A. Recording Procedure

1. Select the desired page for recording by pressing the corresponding page button on the control panel. Once selected, that page’s red LED indicator will light up. 2. Slide the Record/Playback switch to “Record”. The red recording LED indicator will light up. 3. Press and hold the desired cell and speak into the microphone (the operation indicator LED will stay on). Let go of the cell and the recording will stop (the operation indicator LED will turn off). Do not try and record a different message while the operation indicator LED is still on. 4. Once the data has been successfully recorded and the operation indicator LED is off, repeat step (3) for the other cells until all the desired messages are recorded. 5. Slide the Record/Playback switch back to “Playback” once all the recordings are completed to prevent overwriting the recorded message. The recording indicator LED will turn off.

Example 1 – Record the message “Archery” into the 4th cell on page 4: [1] Switch the unit on.

[2] Slide in the sample page with the leisure activities into the page covers for page 4.

[3] Make sure that the Page 4 red LED indicator is lit.

[4] Slide the Record/Playback switch to “Record” and the recording LED will come on.

[5] Press and hold the 4th cell with the “Archery” picture on it and the recording will begin. Now speak the word “Archery” and then release your finger from that cell. About a second later the busy LED will turn off and the process is complete.

[6] Finally, slide the Record/ Playback switch back to “Playback” and the recording LED will go off. The recording process is then complete.

B. Playback Procedure

1. Flip to the desired page and press the corresponding page button, the red LED indicator for that page will light up. 2. Make sure that the Record/Playback switch is set to “Playback”. 3. Press the desired cell to play the recorded message coded into that cell. The operation LED indicator will stay on for the duration of the message.

Note: If a long message is being played and you would like to interrupt the message, press any of the page number buttons to stop the playback.

Please do not remove the CF card from the CF Card Slot when speaking or recording messages. This can cause the data on the CF card to be corrupted or lost. Please power off the machine before removing the CF card.

Example 2 – Play the message “Archery” recorded in Example 1.

[1] Confirm the current page is page 4 and the page 4 LED is on (If not, press the page 4 button). Check to be sure that the Record/Playback switch is set to “Playback”.

[2] Press the 4th message box and the message “Archery” will be played.

3. Page Selection and Page Formats

A. Page Descriptions

(1) Page 1 to 10 – Each page has 6 columns and 4 rows for a total of 24 distinct cells that one can put images into. Associated voice messages can then be recorded into each corresponding cell. There are 10 different pages each with 24 possible programs for an extensive range of communication possibilities.

(2) Toy Control Page – The toy control page is accessed by pressing the button below page 9 with the picture of the teddy bear on it. This page has 2 cells that you can put pictures of the corresponding toys into. The switch activated toys are plugged into the “toy jacks” and can also be controlled by switches plugged into Jack 3 and Jack 4.

B. Using the page binder

The page binder is used to hold the message pages. On top of every message page there are 4 punched holes for the binder. Corresponding pages can then be arranged into the binder. The binder can be opened and closed with the binder lever in the back.

Pull the binder lever outwards and the binder will open.

Push the lever back in and the binder will close.

To select a page to use, simply flip to the desired page and press the corresponding page number button on the control panel. The page number LED will light up and the page would then be ready to use.

C. Designing a Page and Loading in Speech

It is also possible to design and produce a communication board page with software such as the Picture Master Board Designer, and the Picture Master Language Software.

[1] Design and produce a page with the Picture Master Language Software (Refer to the Picture Master Language Software for further information regarding the software usage.)

[2] With this program, you can load the pre-recorded digitized speech onto the Compact Flash Card that comes with the Blue Bird II and specify which page the speech is loaded onto.

[3] Print out the designed page and cut along the outside line to obtain the Blue Bird II page size.

[4] Insert the correctly cut out page into the page sleeve.

[5] The page is then ready to use in the binder.

[6] Now you can put the programmed CF card back into the CF Card slot and the corresponding sound would be ready to be activated. If you do not have the Picture Master Language Software, you can manually record each cell with you own voice as shown previously.

4. Using the Toy Control Page

There are 2 toy control output jacks to connect switch accessible toys. These outputs are controlled by the left and right cell boxes on the toy control page as shown below. Once a cell is pressed, the recorded message will be played and the connected toy activates for the length of the recording.

L R

Note : The toys to be used with this function have to be switch compatible and have an extra control line to connect to the Blue Bird II.

Example 3 – Controlling the Toy.

[1] Connect the toy up with the unit using the adaptor cable. Plug one end into the unit and the other end to the toy. Flip to the toy control page and press the toy page button.

[2] Confirm that the toy control page has been selected on the control panel. The corresponding LED should be lit. Follow the recording procedure and record the word “Fan” on the right message box.

[3] Press the right cell and the word “Fan” will be played as the toy fan goes in motion. The fan will stay on for the duration of the recorded message.

5. Volume Control

The two buttons on the bottom right of the control panel are the volume adjustment keys. There are 9 different selectable volumes from mute to the loudest setting. The bottom key lowers the volume while the top key turns the volume up. When the system is turned on the volume is set to level seven.

Example 4 – Play the phrase recorded in examples 1 and 2, adjusting the volume. [1] Confirm on the control panel that page 4 has been selected and that the LED is on. Press once (or multiple times for a greater volume increment) on the volume up key.

[2] Press the 4th message box and the word “Archery” will be played at a louder volume.

IV. Special Features

1. Using switches

A. Normal Usage

The Blue Bird II has a highly sensitive touch panel. It may be hard, however, to accurately select the desired message for severely disabled users. External accessible switch inputs are provided as a solution to this. One of the switch functions is to allow the users to select the desired message via Jack 3 and Jack 4. These two inputs are usable for each of the 10 page levels and they activate the bottom left corner (Jack 3) and the bottom right corner (Jack 4).

3 4

Switch accessible locations

3 4

Switch Access for the Toy Page

2 3

Side View of the Switch Inputs 1 through 4

Example 5 – Play the message “Roller Coaster” on the bottom left corner, page 4 with a switch.

[1] Follow the basic recording procedures and record the message “Roller Coaster” onto the bottom left cell on page 4.

[2] Connect the switch into Jack 3 on the side of the Blue Bird II.

[3] Confirm that page 4 is currently selected and press the accessible switch. The message “Roller Coaster” will be played.

B. Using Switches for the Toy Control Page

Example 6 – Controlling the toy as in example 3, using a switch.

[1] Follow the steps in example 3 and confirm that the recording is already done. Connect the external switch into Jack 4 for the right message box.

[2] Confirm the toy control page has been selected on the control panel.

[3] Press the external accessible switch and the message “Fan” will be played as the toy fan goes in motion. The fan will stay on for the duration of the recorded message.

C. Auditory Scanning – Single Switch

Earphone jack Auditory Scanning M ode Scanning Switch

Scanning with auditory prompt is designed for individuals who cannot press the keyboard buttons. It allows them to listen to the messages recorded on a page through headphones, and then select the desired message to play out loud using a single button. A set of earphones and a single external switch need to be connected for this mode. When the switch is connected to the single scanning port, the user can then hear all the messages on the page played in order every three seconds. When the desired message is heard through the earphones, press the switch and the message will be played through the loud speaker. This function is available to all page levels.

Example 7 – Play the message “Archery” on page 4 using scanning

[1] Record all the items on page 4 following the basic recording procedure.

[2] Connect and put on the earphones.

[3] Connect the external switch into the single switch scanning port. Scanning mode is started automatically. Each message will be played through the earphones, and when the message “Archery” is heard, press the switch within 2 seconds and the message will be played out loud.

Note : 1. The scanning playback starts again on the 1st message of that page each time after a message has been selected and played. 2. During playback through the earphones, page selection can be made and the scanning will start on the 1st message of the new page. 3. When the entire page has been scanned and no selection was made, the scanning will stop. To restart the scanning mode, simply press the switch once. 4. Auditory prompt through the earphones will play each recorded message in order. If a message is longer than 3 seconds then only the first 3 seconds of the message will be played. 5. If a message is selected, then the entire message will be played.

D. Dual Switch Scanning

The Two Switch auditory scanning is similar to the single switch scanning. Rather than waiting 3 seconds for the auditory prompt to progress through each cell, you can press the first switch connected to Jack 1 to move through the cells progressively. Press the second switch connected to Single Scanning Switch when the desired cell has been reached to play the message out loud. Try this with the previous example recorded on Page 4. Plug one switch into Jack 1 and another switch into Single Scanning Switch. Press the first switch four times to get to the “Archery” cell. Press the second switch to play the pre-recorded message “Archery” through the loudspeaker.

V. Charging the Rechargeable Battery Pack

The Blue Bird II can use the rechargeable battery pack as a power supply. The fully charged battery can supply power for 9 hours. The Low Battery indicator will turn red for a few seconds and then the unit turns off when the battery runs low. To charge the battery up: (１) Turn off the unit. Connect the external power adapter into the first jack on the left side of the unit labelled . (２) Plug the provided external power adapter into a household mains power outlet. (３) When the rechargeable battery pack is charging, the charging indicator will be on. (４) Charge time is usually around 6 hours. The charging indicator turns green when the unit is charging. Once it is fully charged the indicator turns off. Note: When the unit is turned on while it is charging, both the red and green light are lit. (５) Unplug the external power adapter when the charging indicator turns off.

Note :

1. Use only the power adapter included with the Blue Bird II to prevent damage to the unit. The power adapter specification is as follow.

SPEC

INPUT Area Dependant OUTPUT DC 12V, 5A, 60W Polarity Safety Regulation CE, FCC

2. If no indicators turn on at all during power up, please charge the battery first. 3. Please charge the battery regularly.

VI. CF Card Q & A

1. CF Card initialization process Please follow the steps below to initialize a newly purchased or blank CF card(or for correcting errors as described below in #3 and #4) for the Blue Bird II: (1) Power off (2) Plug the Compact Flash (CF) Card into the CF Card Slot (3) Power on (4) After a single beep, initialization will start. (5) The initialization will be completed and ready to use after 5 seconds following by 2 beeps and lighting of Page 1 indicator.

2. CF Card is not plugged into the CF Card Slot properly The page 1 indicator will turn to green. Please power off and re-seat the CF card and then power on the Blue Bird II again.

3. System setting errors (1) When the Page 3 indicator blinks (it means system setting errors occur), delete the file set.bbf on the CF card in the Bluebird folder using a card reader and your PC. (2) Plug the CF card back into the Blue Bird II and repeat the CF card initialization process.

4. Page setting file error (1) Page setting errors will cause the functions of specific page selection or playback to not function properly. Delete the specific page setting file Pxx.idx in the folder of Pxx on the CF card using a card reader and your PC. (2) Plug the CF card back into the Blue Bird II and repeat the CF card initialization process.

5. CF Card memory full When the operation Indicator turns green, Blue Bird II can not record but will play messages only. Press a cell in Record mode to erase some messages, then it can continue to record.

Warranty

Model ：Blue Bird II Serial No. ：：： Date of Purchase: / /

1. This product is covered by a 12 month warranty from manufacturing defects with this warranty card.

2. Normal usage defects are covered under the warranty. Improper usage will not be covered, and modifications made to the unit will void the warranty.

3. Using this unit with external adapters other than DC 12V can damage the product and void the warranty.

If service is required, please contact: Saltillo Corporation Address: 2143 Township Rd. #112 Millersburg, OH 44654 USA Phone: (330) 674 - 6722 Fax: (330) 674 - 6726 Toll Free: 1-800-382-8622 Website:http://www.saltillo.com/ E-mail :[email protected]

Note

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