bgordon
Newbie level 1
I have a challenging project for someone, and your help would be VERY appreciated by my children.
I have two children with serious stuttering problems. There is a new device on the market which is a God send to help stutterers. It looks like a hearing aid, but instead of amplifying the sound, it simply introduces a very slight delay, and a slight pitch adjustment. This tricks the brain into thinking they are speaking with someone else, which for some reason eliminates stuttering in a good number of people.
The problem is, the device costs about $5000 and I need two and I simply cannot afford it.
I have some electronics experience, i.e. I've build a new computer interface for our electronic oven, I've built some IC projects, etc.
So, really the project is this. A small microphone that pics up the sound, a circuit that adds a slight delay, and a circuit that slightly raises or lowers (either one) the pitch, then plays it through a small speaker. I'm also somewhat of an amature fabricator, so I know I could build the case. The trick would be getting it small enough.
Ok, there it is. Any suggestions? Worst case scenario, I could build a small device to place in their shirt pocket with an earphone. That way we wouldn't have to go quite so micro. Best case, I'd like to make it small enough to fit in or around the ear. The real devices look just like a hearing aid.
Thank you all so much for any direction you could provide. You can't imagine how frustrating it is for a 5 year old to stutter uncontrolably. She is entering kindergarten next year and I really worry about her being teased. Thank you so much.
I have two children with serious stuttering problems. There is a new device on the market which is a God send to help stutterers. It looks like a hearing aid, but instead of amplifying the sound, it simply introduces a very slight delay, and a slight pitch adjustment. This tricks the brain into thinking they are speaking with someone else, which for some reason eliminates stuttering in a good number of people.
The problem is, the device costs about $5000 and I need two and I simply cannot afford it.
I have some electronics experience, i.e. I've build a new computer interface for our electronic oven, I've built some IC projects, etc.
So, really the project is this. A small microphone that pics up the sound, a circuit that adds a slight delay, and a circuit that slightly raises or lowers (either one) the pitch, then plays it through a small speaker. I'm also somewhat of an amature fabricator, so I know I could build the case. The trick would be getting it small enough.
Ok, there it is. Any suggestions? Worst case scenario, I could build a small device to place in their shirt pocket with an earphone. That way we wouldn't have to go quite so micro. Best case, I'd like to make it small enough to fit in or around the ear. The real devices look just like a hearing aid.
Thank you all so much for any direction you could provide. You can't imagine how frustrating it is for a 5 year old to stutter uncontrolably. She is entering kindergarten next year and I really worry about her being teased. Thank you so much.