INEXPENSIVE, BROAD COMMUNICATION NETWORK FOR THE DEAF

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The proposed innovation is an inexpensive, visible light information transfer system (VLITS) to transmit data to a personal data display (PDD) that can be used to convey information to deaf and hard of hearing users. VLITS is remarkably inexpensive because it requires no additional or special wiring other than that already typically installed for existing lighting fixtures. The network uses currently installed visible lighting, such as incandescent or fluorescent lighting, as the carrier medium for the data. The PDD receives information transmitted to a user over ambient room lighting and provides it to the user in graphical or textual form. The system varies the light output of lighting fixtures to transmit data at a sufficiently rapid rate that there is no susceptible visual flicker in light output. Data encoded in the lamp light is sent to a small personal data display that presents textual or graphical information to the deaf and hard of hearing meeting participants, students, travelers or occupants of a building. The system will be developed in connection with deaf and hard of hearing users and will be evaluated and tested by these users to maximize its user friendliness and value. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Assistive network for deaf and hard of hearing users comprising: 1. conventional lighting fixtures 2. modified light ballasts 3. graphical/textual receivers