Computers for Old Folks

Perhaps a tablet p-c. With some, no keyboard is needed, they're touchscreen.

Google "tablet computer", there's many on the market. I'm sure your going to want one with a big screen.

If you've got lots of dosh, and can set it up, maybe something like this ;

http://www.ivci.com/videoconferencing_polycom_vsx_3000.html

Anytime you have to "contact a representative" to get a price, you know it's PHAT money. But it is a slick unit though.

Very true ! I think it's about 5000 USD a piece ().

Know your situation exactly.

If using VOIP with Skype or Freshtel (http://www.freshtel.net/) and a PC remains an option, is the physical keyboard the barrier or is it the PC setup overall? We have used a virtual (desktop) keyboard where the PC is secured in a waterproof, sanitary enclosure with clear window in situations where the operator still has to input with keystrokes to the process (e.g. brewery). It means that the mouse is the only external appendage and this is used for the keyboard input. There are a number around if you do a search, but this is one we came across recently, specifically for handicapped people. It would be nice to see this one promoted more.

http://www.lakefolks.org/cnt/

If the PC startup steps are a worry for the old folks, you might look at one of those automated mouse macros, like http://www.winautomacro.com/ to reduce the key entries.

At least with the PC and VOIP, you are likely to be able to call upon neighbours or friends who are likely to have some PC familiarity rather than special equipment experience.

That's cool ! I was wondering about the size, but it looks fine;

The price, $300, ain't too bad. GA BabyGuiness !

Dang - I'll try again ;

jimmymac28 Just wanted to wish you good luck - my whole family practically cashed in their chips and excercised the other half of their round trip tickets. I firstly thought that you better get it for them soon, but recalled that this effort of yours might be viewed as an effort to stop those occasional personal visits to them, so they will sabotage the best of your plans. Just feel lucky. My mother had alzimers.

There are also limited function notebook PCs that have become available for about $300 as well. These will do the video phone function as well as email and some word processing. They won't run MS Office, they are too small. But the files are convertible to .doc format. Might be a little more capable than a video phone but probably not as easy.

Once built a multi-channel voice intercom switching system, based on a (DOS) PC. The input was via a 10 x 10 switch array, which replaced the PC keyboard, using a Universal Keyboard Encoder. The guy at the control station (PC) could connect any group of users for conferencing (on a kind of subset of the total 90 stations), while simultaneously connecting other groups. Up to 10 independent subsets could be active at one time. 90 keys were used for station selection, the other 10 for control functions (Connect, disconnect, general call, clear etc.).

There'd be some designing & building to do, but maybe a simplified keyboard layout along these lines would work?

I will be doing essentially the same thing for my family so we can all be "together" at times when we can't travel to a common meeting place. I can't list it all out right now, as I have just begun doing it, but I would be happy to share my final result with you when it is ready. Let me know if you are interested and I will email results to you when I have them ready.

I plan to try to find very small, inexpensive "computers", or something which can be "hacked" to act as the controller/interface for standard PC based components such as a web camera w/audio and so forth. The most elegant solution would be a custom designed unit with purpose-built firmware to make it all work, but that is quite a lot to do for a project like this! So, I hope to "cobble together" something affordable which can be done in a reasonable amount of time. I recall seeing a couple of devices which have been "hacked" and used as PC compatible controller/computers in other applications, so I will look for those first. If one of them is readily available and affordable, that will become the heart of the system. Add a video card and monitor, an inexpensive web cam, something to make the system "think" it is getting keyboard input when buttons are pushed, etc., and I will have a "pc compatible" box which can be used as a sort of video conferencing terminal using phone lines as the link between terminals, etc.

If this sounds like what you are after, let me know and I will share my results with you when I eventually get them working.

Larry

Hi Larry,

Thanks for your response. I have been playing with a logitech web cam that I bought - hi res unit which is quite impressive. ($70 from best buy). I have also subscribed to skype and currently playing with the options on this. I have an older dell laptop, that I am looking at setting up for my wife to take over to Scotland with her on her next trip (10 days from now). I am hoping my brother (in Scotland) can bolt this down on a desk and perhaps instruct the staff, if not my mother in law, on how to use it.

If you have made progress on your end please drop me a line at jadetooling@bellnet.ca

Thanks

Jim...