How did Stephen Hawking communicate?

How did Stephen Hawking communicate?

How did Stephen Hawking talk? Hawking previously used his finger to control a computer and voice synthesizer. But once he lost use of his hands, he started depending on twitching a cheek muscle to communicate. Most computers designed for him relied on running lists of words.

How fast did Stephen Hawking speak?

15 words a minute This device allowed Stephen to press a switch to select phrases, words or letters, and with its help, Stephen could communicate up to 15 words a minute.

How did Intel help Stephen Hawking?

Intel has been working with Hawking since 1997, helping to maintain and improve the assistive computer system that enables him to interact with the world. ... Intel has been providing Hawking with customized PCs and technical support since then, replacing his computer every two years.”

How does Stephen Hawking control his wheelchair?

How Stephen Hawking's wheelchair works. ... Hawking's PC uses a special interface called EZ Keys, which scans across each letter of the on-screen keyboard, one at a time. When Hawking moves his cheek, a sensor detects the movement and the computer halts the scanner and picks that letter.

What did Stephen Hawking use to control his computer?

• He used a thumb switch and a blink-switch attached to his glasses to control his computer. By squeezing his cheek muscles and "blinking" an infra-red switch was activated and he was able to scan and select characters on the screen in order to compose speeches, surf the Internet, send e-mail and "speak" through a voice synthesizer.

How did Stephen Hawking learn how to speak?

• The operation left Prof Hawking unable to speak, and while he initially learned to communicate by raising his eyebrows to indicate letters on a spelling card, he started using a menu controlled by a computer system in 1986.

How did Stephen Hawking use his cheek muscle?

• Hawking used a speech-generating device developed by Intel that helps with speech/writing for people who have trouble communicating. The software moved a cursor across rows and columns of letters and Hawking could select the desired letter by twitching his cheek.

Where did Stephen Hawking meet the Intel experts?

• Stephen Hawking in Chicago, 1986. Hawking had been too ill to attend his own birthday party, so he met the Intel experts some weeks later at his office in the department of applied mathematics and theoretical physics at the University of Cambridge.