WebAudioAIimages

Textphones for the deaf used Acoustic couplers

Some textphones for the deaf used acoustic couplers.

What AI did to my Acoustic Coupler

My favorite AI generated images:-

AI generated images of my idea.

I asked an AI tool to draw me my idea of using Washing up pads to make an acoustic coupler, and got these amusing versions:-

Does an image that misses the point indicate originality of the idea?

Which reminded me of the tree swing poster, as seen on the University of London Computer center news letter March 1973 :-

https://www.dougrice.co.uk/images/TextPhones/25a.webp

A collection of images of textphones

One of the modems in the ITU V.18 spec is EDT , it stands for "European Deaf Telephone" and uses V.21(low) frequencies at 110 baud.

A search of the web found a reasonable range of devices on websites in various european languages.

https://www.dougrice.co.uk/cgi-bin/wiki.pl?Textphones

A real Acoustic Couple using washing up sponges

I had ended up with a web page that could generate the tones used for V.18 Textphones.

http://www.dougrice.plus.com/dev/UART/UART2_V.18_generators.htm

https://www.dougrice.co.uk/webaudio/mic.htm is an attempt to use a microphone to decode BAUDOT and generate BAUDOT to test the Ultratec Supercom that I brought off eBay.

The Audio path needs to be handled with care. I needed an "Acoustic Coupler"

I wanted to use items that were readily available from local shops.

I could buy Earbuds from Poundland, and while washing up, it occured to me that washing up sponges would allow me to try out a proof of concept acoustic coupler.

A simpler "proof of concept" acoustic coupler could use two foam washing up pads, to hold the ear bud and microphone

Using this webpage, the earbuds mounted in the washing up sponges,

I could dial the number on the phone and place the handset on my "acoustic coupler" so that my webpage could send and receive the tones.

It may need more work for mobiles and smartphones.

After dialling number on the phone, place the handset on the foam pads. You will need to find the best placings of the transducers. Avoid reflections.

Cut a slot in the foam pads to hold the microphone.

This image shows a phone handset ready to put onto the Acoustic Coupler using washing up sponges to hold the earbuds and microphones close to the handset

This works for BAUDOT. Dial on the phone and place handset on the acoustic coupler, like the Supercom and Ultratec compact.

Conclusion

You can put the "Art before the horse"

Getting a useable product is a challenge!