Magnifiers for the Visually Impaired

Often people with low vision need extra assistance beyond what standard glasses or contact lenses offer. Eyeglasses can fix certain problems, like near-sightedness and far-sightedness; however, they don’t work for permanent blind spots in the visual field, which can occur from age-related macular degeneration. This is where magnifiers come into play.

How do Magnifiers Help?

When vision loss is experienced in the macula (central part of the retina), natural magnification becomes difficult. A magnifier helps to reduce problems caused by damage to the macula by using more of the healthy surrounding retina to produce visual images.

What Different Types of Magnifiers are there?

If you’re someone who likes to sew, then you don’t want to get a handheld magnifier. On the other hand, you may benefit from one if reading.

A handheld magnifier is portable and easy to use when it comes to simple tasks – checking product labels, for example.

Visit our Magnifier Shopping Guide to find out more about the different types of Magnifiers.

Of course, some people have worse damage than others, and may need a higher magnification power. It wouldn’t be wise to purchase the first magnifier you lay your eyes on.

Feel free to check out our Magnifier Wizard, helping you choose the magnifier you need.

Still Confused?

We’ve got a glossary of magnifier-related concepts on our main website. On this page you can learn about diopter, field of view, magnification, and also learn how to properly use a magnifier.

 

 

Phones for the Hearing Impaired

Those with hearing loss will find that having conversations with a standard telephone can be unpleasant or simply annoying. The volume of a standard telephone receiver cannot compensate for the lack of hearing that many people have.

But why fight this battle? Surely there’s a solution.

Amplified Telephones

Those who aren’t completely deaf may benefit from an amplified telephone. If voices still sound faint when using a standard phone at its highest volume, you may want to consider getting an amplified telephone.

Amplified cordless phones generally cost around $80 to $280, with corded phones being significantly cheaper and amplified cell phones starting at $100.

Can’t decide on which to choose? Keep in mind the benefits of having a cordless phone, and ask yourself if it’s worth the extra money. An amplified cell phone may also be a nice addition if you require one.

TTY Technology (Text Telephones)

More than four million people in the U.S. use a TTY, commonly known as text phones or minicoms. A TTY allows deaf or speech-impaired users to communicate efficiently over phone lines with anyone regardless of whether this person can hear well or not.

TTYs can be used by placing a telephone handset into the TTY’s acoustic couplers, or by directly connecting to an analog telephone line. Letters are converted into electrical signals that are converted back to letters again on screen of the receiving unit.

If one has severe hearing loss or complete deafness, then a TTY may be the answer. Compared to an amplified telephone, the price is a little higher due to the resources required to build the product.

Here at Assistech we’ve got a wide range of TTY phones and accessories.

 

See also: Telephones for the Deaf: A Thing of the Present

 

Games and Hobbies for the Blind

Why should blind and visually impaired people have to miss out on having some fun once in a while? Here at Assistech we have a large range of products from board games to sports equipment. Below is a short overview of what we provide.

Board Games

Yes, they still exist. We sell specially designed board games for those who are blind or visually impaired. Whether it’s a simple game of Bingo to a dramatic game of Monopoly, we’ve got you covered.

Board Games we recommend:

• Braille Plastic Bingo Board
• Royal Plastic Braille Playing Cards
• Travel Chess Set
• Braille and Low Vision Monopoly

Sports Gear

Know someone who plays soccer? How about basketball? We sell beeping balls, balls with bells – even double bells!

Sports gear we recommend:

• Reizen Rockstar Rugby Ball with Bells
• Soccerball with Double Bells Inside
• Basketball with Double Bells and Directional Beeper

Educational

Playing sport and relaxing with board games is great, but there are times where learning has to be done. We also sell many teaching tools for the visually impaired.

Educational items we recommend:

• Big Time Learning Clock
• Tactile Arithmetic and Algebra Frame
• SENSEsational Alphabet Multi-Sensory Book
• Geometric Set in Braille

For the Children

Keep them entertained on holiday, while you’re working, or during those times where you’d just like to relax.

Children’s products we recommend:

• Raised Line and Braille Color-N-Paint Art Book
• Beeping Easter Egg
• Children’s Music Marching Drum
• Crocodile Dentist Game

To see all of our games and hobbies for the blind and visually impaired, please click here

Signaling Systems: Essential Tools for Everyday Living

There are many people and events in our lives that require our utmost attention and prioritization. A phone call from a potential job interview, a newborn infant, the care of the elderly in the family, a newly-opened retail business—these are some of the various examples of life events and individuals that needs attending 24/7. For individuals and situations like these, signaling systems, or simply signalers, have proven truly indispensable for everyday living.

Signaling systems, also called alerting/notification systems, are designed to help alert or notify you these events. These devices can help alert you through flashing lights, loud alarms, and/or vibration. Signalers are also very important for impending disasters, such as the presence of fire and/or carbon monoxide.

The great news is that signaling systems come in various models and types that are made for the specific events that matter the most to you. For example, new parents can rest easier at night with the different types of baby cry monitors. Families can also have peace of mind with a great smoke alarm system to protect them round the clock. These are only some of the few examples that benefit from the use of signalers. Some transmitters can also work for more than one event.

The companies behind these signaling systems have also come up with brilliant ways to make their systems easy to use and very portable. They now have portable receivers (such as pagers and watches) that you can conveniently bring with you wherever you go. You can also customize your system by adding various receivers in the specific rooms you wish to be monitored. We strongly suggest though that a uniform brand be used for all your system components to ensure compatibility.

Signaling systems are a tried-and-tested necessity for everyday life, not only for the monitoring of day-to-day situations, but also the independence of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. This modern-day invention has also proven itself valuable in saving lives for decades.

At Assistech we carry a wide range of visual, vibrating, and audio signalers for the deaf and the hearing impaired. For more information on signaling systems visit our website.

OneLink Talking Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms: For Your Peace of Mind

The tragic thing about calamities and disasters is that we have very little to no way of predicting when they are coming. New innovations in science and technology have found more means to warn the public of the arrival of such natural occurrences as earthquakes, tsunamis and floods; but still, accuracy of such predictions  hang in the balance.

Fires  are equally feared disasters—however, modern advances have achieved great heights when it comes to alarm and fire warning systems. It’s a requirement in our society, may it be for a business establishment or a small home, to be fully-equipped with fire alarm systems to be amply prepared. One such indispensable innovation is the Onelink Talking Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm.  This ingenious product relieves you from worries and fears of “missing out” on alarm signals by wirelessly interconnecting your alarms, providing maximum protection. A warning voice can be easily programmed for alarm’s location within the home (there are 11 pre-programmed choices). A female voice immediately alerts the household of the particular hazard sensed by the detector.

On top of doing a great job of protecting you and your loved ones, this device is also perfect for those with hearing difficulties, as well as for the children, who may sleep through the blaring sounds of a standard smoke alarm, as demonstrated in several real-life experiments.

Onelink provides alarm signals for both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Its photoelectric smoke sensor reduces false alarms by effectively differentiating a real fire from cooking smoke or shower steam.

Maintain your peace of mind when it comes to your family’s safety with the Onelink Talking Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm! For more information, please visit our website.

Work Your Way Around Assistech with Wizards

Assistech is a company dedicated to delivering quality and innovative assistive products and solutions to people with disabilities and special needs. We have been in business for 13 years, and we are committed to serving the deaf and hard of hearing, the blind and visually-impaired, and those dealing with speech, mobility, and memory issues. Technology has made this goal easier for us—we get to discover new solutions and new ways nearly everyday, giving people opportunities to make daily living much easier.

With so many assistive technology items on the market, finding the right one is not always easy. If you’re looking for an assistive product for you or a loved one, but don’t know where to begin, worry no more as we’ve got Wizards. Wizards is our smart and savvy searching solution that makes browsing through our website much faster. Simply define your search criteria and the Wizards will find the product that you’re looking for, thus saving you time and providing the best possible matches.

Our list of Wizards currently includes searching by need, ADA Compliance Kits, Alerting Systems, Listening Systems, Smoke Detectors, Magnifying Glasses, Talking Watches, Vibrating Watches, Talking Clocks, Vibrating Clocks, and more.

Work your way through Assistech faster and easier! Click here for Wizards.

If you prefer to search by brand or category, simply type the keywords in the search box located at the top of our web pages.  Another option is to go directly to our Products page.

If you have any questions, feel free to call Customer Service at 866-674-3549. International callers, please dial +1-520-883-8600.

The Big Button Phone: Eliminating Memorization, Simplifying Communication

From the time of its conception to today, the classic telephone has come a long, long way. What used to be clunky phones with rotating dials have now evolved into many options: cordless models, units that look and function like cellular phones, to even designer models that come with their own built-in tablets. Just like many other gadgets produced in the earlier years, the standard telephone is trying to keep up.

What manufacturers fail to realize is that most people don’t really care for the “bells and whistles” on their standard telephone units ─ they want simple and ergonomic devices that do the job right. And since numbers aren’t the easiest thing to memorize, some memory to store important numbers would be a great feature addition! How about a telephone that retains numbers in the memory even if the unit is unplugged from the phone line?

Most people aren’t too keen on memorizing numbers; and they definitely are not fans of squinting at hard-to-read, tiny buttons. That’s one of the reasons why we appreciate and love the fun and incredibly easy-to-use Big Button Phone with 40dB Handset Volume. This artfully designed unit eliminates the basic problems of standard telephones, such as low volume and small buttons. It has 10 two-touch and 2 one-touch speed dials, as well a distinct red 911 button at the top for easy access during emergencies. Not only is it great for those who want to keep things easier and simpler, but it is actually beneficial to the elderly and those dealing with hearing loss and memory problems.

The Big Button Phone with 40dB Handset Volume keeps the numbers stored in the memory even if there’s a power outage. Never forget an important number again, and never struggle again to dial out and receive calls! The Big Button Phone with 40dB Handset Volume simplifies the art of communication and even does the memorization for you.

The Big Button Phone is hearing-aid compatible, and comes with a 90-day limited manufacturer’s warranty.

Read more about the Big Button Phone with 40Db Handset Volume

COOL! One-button talking watch with multiple functions

Assistech is pleased to introduce the new Dual Voice Talking Watch by Time Optics™. This one-button watch does it all! Not only does it announce the time, it also announces the day, date, year, has an optional alarm – and dual voices (male and female).

Up until now, a one-button talking watch would give you announcement of the current time only, and you would have two batteries to maintain. Time Optics came up with a breakthrough solution by offering a simple, easy-to-set one-button watch with features that were only found in the traditional four-button models. They tooled up their own voice chip (of great quality, by the way) and engineered their watches to run on a single battery!

The Time Optics Talking Watches are available in an assortment of styles, from casual and sporty to a more classic look. The Youth series is comprised of velcro band watches in many colors: blue, light blue, red & blue, black, and pink. The adult-size styles come with leather band or flex band, and are available in gold, silver, and two-tone.

The Dual Voice Talking Watches have a manufacturer’s limited lifetime warranty. You might think these watches would cost a fortune, but that’s not the case. They are very affordable and cost-effective compared to other competing brands on the market. And I must emphasize, they carry a limited lifetime warranty!

The complete line of Dual Voice Talking Watches are available on our website at www.assistech.com/products/Dual-Voice-Talking-Watches.htm. They are now all available and ready to ship!

An alarm clock that responds to your voice commands!

Now you can set an alarm clock – or turn it off – without ever moving from the comfort of your bed. No more small buttons and no more programming. Just speak, and this clock listens!

Meet ivee Flex, the interactive talking alarm clock that can tell you the time, date and temperature – all you need to do is ask. Her built-in FM radio can be turned on by voice and a large LCD offers adjustable lighting, while 6 sleep sounds will put you in a calm, relaxed state, helping you ease into your bedtime and morning routines.

With ivee’s understanding of over 30 simple voice commands, she will become your hands-free personal assistant for telling the time, date and indoor temperature, as well as managing alarms, timers, sleep sounds, the nightlight, and FM radio features. Simply say “hello ivee” to get started. (ivee may also be activated by touching the LCD display.)

ivee Flex is available in your choice of colors:

ivee Flex – Black
ivee Flex – White

Also available is the ivee Digit Interactive with 20 voice commands and no FM radio:

ivee Digit Interactive – Blue
ivee Digit Interactive – White

And here’s a demo video showing how ivee works:

Let’s talk about talking watches

Has your talking watch stopped talking? It could be two things: either the battery for the voice went dead or the watch itself went kaput.

A talking watch normally uses two types of battery: one for the voice and another battery for the movement of the hands. Battery types vary depending on the kind of watch you wear (analog vs. digital, for example). Most of our talking watches are analog and use battery types SR626SW (movement) and CR2016 (sound).

Here are three of the most common questions we hear from people interested in buying a talking watch:

1. How long will the batteries last?

The answer is: It depends on usage. Typically, they should last for months or even more than a year.

2. Where can I buy new battery?

Try wholesaleforeveryone.com. They are available in 5-10 packs, which may save you some money!

3. Where can I have my watch battery replaced?

We do not recommend replacing the batteries yourself. Some watches are a little tricky and may require special tools. Plus, you don’t want to damage the inner parts of your beloved watch! So the best thing is to take it to a local jeweler who knows how to replace the battery.

Most of the watches we sell have a 90-day warranty, but some do carry a lifetime warranty! Sounds interesting? Go to our website and key in “Avalon” for more information. Typically, a manufacturer’s warranty won’t cover battery replacement or cosmetic damage resulting from misuse.

Finally, if you’re having trouble setting your talking watch, this video may be helpful.