New guy needing help.

[Fritz Courington]

I am trying to find the best systems for voice banking. I have seen some information on etriloquist and Invtool and a few others. Any info would help.
My progression has so far been slow, I have only lost the use of my left hand , my legs are getting weeker but I am still able to walk and drive , I use a AFO on my left foot. Good news is that I still have my complete voice. Biggest issue is twicthing... We have a microphone and have used the basic files on the computer but knowing what to say is kinda tuff.

[ZenArcher]

InvTool is a free voice synthesis solution. Once you complete and upload the example they will send suggestions and the full library of 1649 phrases to record. The completed voice is not studio quality but it is your voice and it is understandable. That is my only personal experience.

[Montana Carol]

Rhonda has a thread in the People With ALS Forum called "Speaking Devices Etc", and we had a discussion in the same forum under my thread called "Model Talker" . I just received my synthetic voice for use with Model Talker after recording and uploading all the 1649 words and phrases they send you. I'm excited to have it and so grateful it's available when the time comes that I need it. Good luck. Carol

[CindyM]

Hi Fritz- welcome to the forum. Glad you decided to join us. Cindy

[Fritz Courington]

Thanks for the info. Sorry if I am in the wrong places , I am new at this and will need alittle time to get going in the right direction.

[CindyM]

You are welcome in any place on this forum! :) We are pleased you decided to join us. Cindy

[liz]

Hi Fritz -

Looks to me like you got it right on the first try. Welcome to the forum.

Liz

[vmd]

Welcome to the forum Fritz.

[sherry0459]

Fritz, I am glad you are here with the "Family". We are very family like. I have bulbar onset ALS and am being treated at UAB in Birmingham by Dr Shin Oh. I see you are in my neck of the woods as they say. I am about 60 miles east of you. I hope you have seen the post on the walk to D'Feet ALS at Samford Univ. on the 27th of Oct. I hope you will be there I would love to meet you and your family. My hubby and children will walk for me, i might take around also. If you haven't seen the info go to www.alsalabama.org the page will give you all the details. I have a personal page for fund raising for the walk too. Welcome and I hope to talk to you there, or here on the forum again. Sherry Key

[Fritz Courington]

Sherry.
Dr Oh did my muscle biopsy, and was also part of the group that sat in on my EMG tests. ( That is a long story )
We also are part of the ALS clinic at UAB with Dr Claussin and Morgan. Dr Claussin is the one who diagnosed me. We are also involved with the clinic at Vanderbilt with Dr Donifrio, which is a very special place we love being a part of it. The entire clinic is Christ centered.
As for me , my legs and left arm are the problem areas as of now, i can feel weakness in my midsection and neck but at this time it does not hinder me. The only assistance I use is a foot brace on my left foot to keep my toes up.
As for the walk, we are a part of the MDA walk at Oak Mountain on the same day. We have a very large team of freinds and family as well as a large support group from our church. They have taken on the team name of " The Fritz Blitz " . Good luck with your walk , I will say a special prayer for you and your team.

[sherry0459]

Fritz, WOW, it sounds like you have a wonderful support group. Does Dr Claussin see you at Kirkland Clinic or some where else on the campus? Vandy sounds like a great place also. This has brought me closer to God for sure. I was raised in church, but there is nothing like the feel of hundreds of prayers that can make you feel you propose here is "different" than most. What is it they say: Death makes you learn to live, and challenges make you learn to pray. Have fun and raise lots funds and SPIRIT. HE is with you every step. I too shall pray for you that day and every day.as I do all who need HIS comfort. Hope to meet you TEAM someday. God bless, Sherry Key

[Fritz Courington]

Yes Dr Claussin and Dr Morgan are part of the ALS clinic at Kirkland clinic , the clinic is every third wed of the month. Are you part of any clinics of this type ?
Vandy has been a very good method of treatment for us , I would love to tell ya all about it and urge you to look into it. The MDA director at this clinic is great , the thing I like most about Vandy is it is one stop shopping , you get to see everyone in one day and it is always on Friday which makes it easy . They also offer a minister as part of the clinic , which is the main draw for us.
Yes we worship an awsome GOD, He has provided for my family and me in ways you would not believe. He has placed in our church a group of people who love to do His will, they have taken care of us 100%. Every need we have had has been met before we ever had to ask..
I read a quote somewhere that says " I never new how much I needed GOD untill I realized just how little this world has to offer "

[Montana Carol]

I'm curious to know if you found the Model Talker website and what you think about their voice-banking program. Did you find the other threads I mentioned in my earlier post? Good luck, and let me add my welcome to the forum. Carol

[billyd]

I have been reading with interest the many posts and am glad to find so many people willing to share their experiences and concerns on this site. I am not yet familiar with the posting process but this is my attempt.

I found this forum as I, like so many others have been experiencing some scary symptoms. To be to the point I have leg tightness and weakness in both legs, constant twitches or contractions in the left toes and painful cramps in the left arch of that foot. Calf twitches and tightness and random twitches elsewhere.

Tomorrow I see a general neurologist at a University hospital for some basic neuro evaluation. MRI's of my brain have also been scheduled. Knowing what I know and have read I have gotten myself really upset before I have good reason. No atrophy that I notice but weakness and fasics.

So anyway that is my story for now, wish me luck as I wish the best to all of you. I will return when I figure this all out!

[Icanmanz]

Hi billyd, welcome to the forum. Lots of caring folks here. I am wishing you the best of luck! Keep us posted.

Irma

[Fritz Courington]

Yes I have been researching the modeltalker and Invtool as welll as etriloquist, I have not determined which will be the best and most easy to use. As for now my voice has not been effected yet ( praise God ) but I fell it will only be a matter of time.. I just want to be sure I put the efforts into something that will be versital and easy to use for both me and my wife and two small girls. Any input on easy of us would be cool.. I think I understand the downloading and banking process but what I am not sure of is after all is downloaded and returned can it be used on all forms of devices from , I think it is called a dynovox or dynobox ? , what about when I loose both hands ?

As for billyd my prayers will be that the Lord will confound the wise and you problems will be nothing to worry about.

[Saubier]

Fritz,

I did the Model Talker, but only after my voice had deteriorated somewhat. It took me 6 hours in two sessions to complete the 1647 phrases. The fine people at UDel cleaned it up and people all say it sounds like me.

Pappy.

[Montana Carol]

Fritz, I'm glad you've been able to find the discussions on speech-banking and speech devices. Yes, Model Talker is a program that can be installed in a computer or in most of the AAC speech devices. You can use your own synthetic voice file, if you're able to do the required recording as Pappy and others described. It can be adapted for use with head control or eyegaze attachments if you become unable to type. If you can't do the recording, you can use the Model Talker Voice (sample at their website) or probably other voice (I've read stuff on this forum about the "AT&T voice" being very good; but I haven't looked into that, since I was intent on recording my own voice). Carol

[Fritz Courington]

I found and downloaded the modeltalker and me and my girls went out yesterday ( The 16th ) and bought a headset with mic. I am waiting on a night when my mom can keep the girls so I can work on setting the mic to the computer and modeltalker program. This seems to be the most important part. After I get it up and going and get the test uploaded I will let everyone know. As for my voice , it is still holding strong , so hopefully I will get good results.

[Montana Carol]

All right, Fritz! Way to go! You'll get a laugh out of some of the silly phrases you'll have to record. Let us know how it goes for you. Carol

[Fritz Courington]

So far this not fun, nothing is working . Every time I try to record it comes back and says it can not find where I started or stopped. I have re calibrated several times and still get the same response. Have sent modeltalker an e-mail, mabey help will arrive soon...