Difference between revisions of "TruTone"

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http://www.griffinlab.com/Products/TruTone-Electrolarynx.html
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[[File:Trutone kit 1.jpg|thumbnail|right|TruTone kit]]
  
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<!-- Very brief description of the technology. This section should contain the main information about the subject. It's good to leave this bit as the last one and use the information provided in greater detail in later sections.-->
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TruTone and TruTone Plus are electrolarynx devices manufactured by an American speech aid electronics company Griffin Laboratories, Inc. These devices are speech technologies aimed towards patients after total laryngectomy who lost their natural ability to produce voice.<ref name="website">http://www.griffinlab.com/Products/TruTone-Electrolarynx.html</ref>
  
 
== Main characteristics ==
 
== Main characteristics ==
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[[File:Trutone 1.jpg|thumbnail|right|TruTone electrolarynx]]
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The company offers two TruTone products:
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[[File:Trutone plus 1.png|thumbnail|right|TruTone Plus electrolarynx]]
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'''TruTone''' is a "light weight and small size" (the device weights approximately 128 grams) electrolarynx that features a on/off button with pressure sensitivity that allows the user to control the pitch of the produced sound with only one thumb on the device. It also features a thumb wheel to control the volume. The manufacturer advertises that the device has the widest tonal range available in comparison to competing devices. It is equipped with one 9 V battery but it is not clear whether the included battery is rechargeable.<ref name="website" /> The manufacturer offers 5 years warranty within the United States. The device costs 600 USD.<ref>http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/trutone-electrolarynx-p-28.html</ref>
  
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'''TruTone'''
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'''TruTone Plus''' is in all aspects identical with the device above. But it additionally features a USB port through which the device's battery can be charged.<ref name="trutoneplus">http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/new-usb-trutoner-electrolarynx-with-full-charge-p-96.html</ref> The device costs 749 USD.<ref name="trutoneplus" />
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'''TruTone Plus'''
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=== Purpose ===
 
=== Purpose ===
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<!-- This is a very short description of the technology's purpose. What will it be doing, for what goal was it created, how it modifies human cognition. Keep this as brief as possible. -->
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The TruTone series of devices is directed towards laryngectomees that have lost their ability to produce speech. The usage of an electrolarynx allows them to communicate in a quick and natural manner without resorting to other means such as pen and paper.  
  
 
=== Company & People ===
 
=== Company & People ===
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<!-- This is a list of important people behind the technology. Note: It is not necessary to list absolutely everyone. -->
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The device is manufactured by an American company Griffin Laboratories, Inc. The company is based in Temecula, California.<ref>http://www.griffinlab.com/About.html</ref><ref>http://www.zoominfo.com/s/#!search/profile/company?companyId=52381374&targetid=profile</ref>
 
   
 
   
 
== Important Dates ==
 
== Important Dates ==
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<!-- A list of important dates in the development and history of the technology. Use the information provided in the second half of the Main characteristics section and make it into a short, unnumbered list. -->
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1995 - Griffin Laboraries, Inc. established.<ref>http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/-i-1.html</ref>
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The company does not inform about any other important dates that are relevant to this particular device.
  
 
== Enhancement/Therapy/Treatment ==
 
== Enhancement/Therapy/Treatment ==
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<!-- Describe in detail whether the technology aims to enhance human cognition, i.e. to improve human abilities beyond what is considered normal, and/or if it is also applicable as a form of treatment or therapy, i.e. it can serve to cure patients or restore abilities that do not perform as they would in a healthy person -->
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Treatment - TruTone and TruTone Plus are devices that replace the speech producing functions of a larynx. Electrolarynxes are meant to return the ability to communicate by voice for laryngectomy patients.
  
 
== Ethical & Health Issues ==
 
== Ethical & Health Issues ==
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<!-- Provide detailed information (if possible or if available) about any ethical risks and related ethical topics, and also related health issues, be it already discovered and covered in literature, or just speculative ones, should be described and properly cited in this section. -->
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There are no ethical or health issues connected to this particular device.
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For more general issues connected with smartglasses, please see the [[Electrolarynx]] synopsis.  
  
 
== Public & Media Impact and Presentation ==
 
== Public & Media Impact and Presentation ==
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<!-- Provide information about the impact the technology had on the public and how the technology is presented in the media or literature. If there was anything in the news regarding this technology, it should be noted and properly cited here. -->
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There are a number of testimonials<ref>http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/trutoner-electrolarynx-pr-28.html</ref> and reviews<ref>http://www.griffinlab.com/Reviews.html</ref> available on the official website as well as a few user reviews on Amazon.<ref>http://www.amazon.com/Maxi-Aids-Trutone-Electrolarynx/dp/B003E6LNTE#customerReviews</ref>
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All user opinions commend the sturdiness of the device. One user report that the device remained working after ha accidentally dropped it into a toilet<ref>http://www.griffinlab.com/Reviews.html#clowe</ref>, or another customer that reported running it over by his car.<ref>http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/trutoner-electrolarynx-pri-28.html?reviews_id=44</ref> Other users praise the user-friendliness of the device,<ref>http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/trutoner-electrolarynx-pri-28.html?reviews_id=41</ref>, quality of the produced sound,<ref>http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/trutoner-electrolarynx-pri-28.html?reviews_id=11</ref>, and additional service provided by the company.<ref>http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/trutoner-electrolarynx-pri-28.html?reviews_id=28</ref>
  
 
== Public Policy ==
 
== Public Policy ==
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<!-- Information related to any regulations (law, patents, ISOs, government recommendations and so on.) -->
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The company does not appear to be listed in the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration medical devices catalogue.
  
 
== Related Technologies, Projects or Scientific Research ==
 
== Related Technologies, Projects or Scientific Research ==
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<!-- If there is any scientific research conducted or being conducted that is closely connected to this technology, it should be properly cited here. -->
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The official website mentions a self-published research by the speech pathologist Brian Shute, Ph.D. In the article, the author compares the reactions of laryngectomees to different brand of electrolarynxes. TruTone was selected as the second most reliable and user-friendly device, right after Servona's Servox.<ref>http://www.drshute.com/archives/2005/09/perceptions_of.html</ref>
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For more information about this type of devices, please see the [[Electrolarynx]] synopsis.
  
 
== References ==
 
== References ==

Latest revision as of 09:50, 11 February 2016

TruTone kit

TruTone and TruTone Plus are electrolarynx devices manufactured by an American speech aid electronics company Griffin Laboratories, Inc. These devices are speech technologies aimed towards patients after total laryngectomy who lost their natural ability to produce voice.[1]

Main characteristics

TruTone electrolarynx

The company offers two TruTone products:

TruTone Plus electrolarynx

TruTone is a "light weight and small size" (the device weights approximately 128 grams) electrolarynx that features a on/off button with pressure sensitivity that allows the user to control the pitch of the produced sound with only one thumb on the device. It also features a thumb wheel to control the volume. The manufacturer advertises that the device has the widest tonal range available in comparison to competing devices. It is equipped with one 9 V battery but it is not clear whether the included battery is rechargeable.[1] The manufacturer offers 5 years warranty within the United States. The device costs 600 USD.[2]

TruTone Plus is in all aspects identical with the device above. But it additionally features a USB port through which the device's battery can be charged.[3] The device costs 749 USD.[3]

Purpose

The TruTone series of devices is directed towards laryngectomees that have lost their ability to produce speech. The usage of an electrolarynx allows them to communicate in a quick and natural manner without resorting to other means such as pen and paper.

Company & People

The device is manufactured by an American company Griffin Laboratories, Inc. The company is based in Temecula, California.[4][5]

Important Dates

1995 - Griffin Laboraries, Inc. established.[6]

The company does not inform about any other important dates that are relevant to this particular device.

Enhancement/Therapy/Treatment

Treatment - TruTone and TruTone Plus are devices that replace the speech producing functions of a larynx. Electrolarynxes are meant to return the ability to communicate by voice for laryngectomy patients.

Ethical & Health Issues

There are no ethical or health issues connected to this particular device.

For more general issues connected with smartglasses, please see the Electrolarynx synopsis.

Public & Media Impact and Presentation

There are a number of testimonials[7] and reviews[8] available on the official website as well as a few user reviews on Amazon.[9]

All user opinions commend the sturdiness of the device. One user report that the device remained working after ha accidentally dropped it into a toilet[10], or another customer that reported running it over by his car.[11] Other users praise the user-friendliness of the device,[12], quality of the produced sound,[13], and additional service provided by the company.[14]

Public Policy

The company does not appear to be listed in the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration medical devices catalogue.

Related Technologies, Projects or Scientific Research

The official website mentions a self-published research by the speech pathologist Brian Shute, Ph.D. In the article, the author compares the reactions of laryngectomees to different brand of electrolarynxes. TruTone was selected as the second most reliable and user-friendly device, right after Servona's Servox.[15]

For more information about this type of devices, please see the Electrolarynx synopsis.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.griffinlab.com/Products/TruTone-Electrolarynx.html
  2. ↑ http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/trutone-electrolarynx-p-28.html
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/new-usb-trutoner-electrolarynx-with-full-charge-p-96.html
  4. ↑ http://www.griffinlab.com/About.html
  5. ↑ http://www.zoominfo.com/s/#!search/profile/company?companyId=52381374&targetid=profile
  6. ↑ http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/-i-1.html
  7. ↑ http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/trutoner-electrolarynx-pr-28.html
  8. ↑ http://www.griffinlab.com/Reviews.html
  9. ↑ http://www.amazon.com/Maxi-Aids-Trutone-Electrolarynx/dp/B003E6LNTE#customerReviews
  10. ↑ http://www.griffinlab.com/Reviews.html#clowe
  11. ↑ http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/trutoner-electrolarynx-pri-28.html?reviews_id=44
  12. ↑ http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/trutoner-electrolarynx-pri-28.html?reviews_id=41
  13. ↑ http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/trutoner-electrolarynx-pri-28.html?reviews_id=11
  14. ↑ http://www.griffinlab.com/catalog/trutoner-electrolarynx-pri-28.html?reviews_id=28
  15. ↑ http://www.drshute.com/archives/2005/09/perceptions_of.html
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