Reading aid for handicapped persons

Claim 2

A learning aid for the language handicapped comprising: an elongated film strip having a plurality of horizontal, vertically spaced-apart exposed portions of a selected length representing phonemic language sounds; a light source; a plurality of vertically spaced-apart fiber optic tubes disposed adjacent said light source; a plurality of phototransistors coupled to said fiber optic tubes and responsive to light transmitted therethrough; a pair of spaced-apart film reels disposed on adjacent sides of said light source for supporting the film strip between the light source and the fiber optic tubes; a motor control coupled to said film reels and said phototransistors for advancing the film strip and activating the phototransistors a plurality of vibrating pins coupled to the output of said phototransistors and responsive thereto, said horizontal exposed portions of the film strip and said fiber optic tubes being spaced apart at corresponding vertical positions so that light radiated from said light source and passing through said exposed portions of the film strip is detected by a corresponding plurality of fiber optic tubes and transmitted to said phototransistors, thereby selectively activating corresponding ones of said plurality of vibrating pins; and a clock generator coupled to said vibrating pins and responsive to said phototransistors for vibrating said pins at a set frequency.

Claim 3

The learning aid as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for visually inDicating the activation of said plurality of vibrating pins by said phototransistors.

Claim 4

The learning aid as recited in claim 2, wherein said vibrating pins each comprise a bimorph, and a rigid pin affixed to the end of said bimorph.

Claim 5

The learning aid as recited in claim 1, further comprising a first relay including a relay switch, responsive to at least one of said phototransistors, an amplifier coupled to the switch of said relay, and means for generating a signal of a predetermined frequency, said signal being amplified by said amplifier and coupled to at least one of said vibrating pins by said relay.

Claim 6

The learning aid as recited in claim 4, further comprising a second relay including a relay switch, responsive to at least one of said phototransistors, a DC power supply coupled to said second relay switch, and at least one electrical lamp, said second relay switch coupling the power supply to said electrical lamp when said first relay couples said amplifier to said vibrating pin.

Claim 7

The learning aid as recited in claim 5, wherein said means for generating said signal of predetermined frequency comprises a third relay including a relay switch, a first oscillator, and a second oscillator, coupled to said relay, said relay selectively coupling said first and second oscillators to said amplifier and said vibrating pins and thereby controlling the frequency of vibration of said vibrating pins.

Claim 10

The learning aid as recited in claim 7, wherein said recording means further comprises a clock, for generating a recording length signal at a specified frequency, a timing logic circuit coupled to said clock, for dividing the frequency of said clock signal fractionally to form a plurality of different recording length signals, means for selecting one of said recording length signals and thereby selecting the recording length, and means responsive to said timing logic circuit, for advancing said film strip past said fiber optic tubes.

Claim 11

A learning aid for the language handicapped, comprising: an elongated light-sensitive film strip having a plurality of horizontal, vertically spaced-apart exposed portions of a selected length, said exposed portions representing phonemic language sounds; a light source; a plurality of vertically spaced-apart fiber optic tubes disposed adjacent said light source; a plurality of phototransistors coupled to said fiber optic tubes and responsive to light transmitted threthrough; means for advancing said film between said light source and said fiber optic tubes; a plurality of vibrating pins coupled to said phototransistors and responsive thereto, whereby light passing through said exposed portions of said film strip is transmitted by said fiber optic tubes to said phototransistors for activating said vibrating pins; and means, for recording phonemic language sounds on light-sensitive film that includes a plurality of light sources, a plurality of vertically spaced-apart fiber optic tubes coupled to said light sources, means for advancing a light-sensitive film strip adjacent said fiber optic tubes, and means for controlling the illumination of said light sources so that selected ones of said plurality of light sources are illuminated as said film strip is moved adjacent said fiber optic tubes to thereby expose selected vertically spaced-apart horizontal portions of said film strip for a predetermined length.

Claim 12

A learning aid for the language handicapped, comprising: an elongated light-sensitive film strip having a plurality of horizontal, vertically spaced-apart exposed portions of a selected length, said exposed portions representing phonemic language sounds; a light source; a plurality of vertically spaced-apart fiber optic tubes disposed adjacent said light source; a plurality of phototransistors coupled to said fiber optic tubes and responsive to light transmitted threthrough; means for advancing said film between said light source and said fiber optic tubes; a plurality of vibrating pins coupled to said phototransistors and responsive thereto, whereby light passing through said exposed portions of said film strip is transmitted by said fiber optic tubes to said phototransistors for activating said vibrating pins; and means, for recording phonemic language sounds on light-sensitive film that includes a plurality of light sources, a plurality of vertically spaced-apart fiber optic tubes coupled to said light sources, means for advancing a light-sensitive film strip adjacent said fiber optic tubes, and means for controlling the illumination of said light sources so that selected ones of said plurality of light sources are illuminated as said film strip is moved adjacent said fiber optic tubes to thereby expose selected vertically spaced-apart horizontal portions of said film strip for a predetermined length.