STEPHEN HAWKING AND HIS COMPUTER

About Stephen  Stephen William Hawking is one of the most important theoretical physicist.  Stephen graduated from University College, Oxford in 1962.After the graduation, Stephen Hawking ‘s contribution to science increase day by day.

 Unfortunately, Stephen was diagnosed with ALS, a form of Motor Neurone Disease, shortly after his 21st birthday.  In spite of being wheelchair bound and dependent on a computerised voice system for communication Stephen Hawking continues to combine family life (he has three children and three grandchildren), and his research into theoretical physics together with an extensive programme of travel and public lectures. He still hopes to make it into space one day.

 Because of ALS,Stephen Hawking can not speak.  However, he published a number of books,give interviews and lectures.

How can he do it?

STEPHEN HAWKİNG’S COMPUTER

About The Computer  Since 1997, his computer-based communication system has been sponsored and provided by Intel® Corporation. A tablet computer mounted on the arm of my wheelchair is powered by my wheelchair batteries, although the tablets internal battery will keep the computer running if necessary.  Current configuration Lenovo ThinkPad X220 Tablet (2 copies) Intel® Core™ i7-2620M 2.7GHz Intel® 150Gb Solid-State Drive 520 Series Windows 7 Speech Synthesizers (3 copies): Manufacturer - Speech Plus (Incorporated 1988, Mountain View, CA) Model - CallText 5010

 His main interface to the computer is through a program called EZ Keys, written by Words Plus Inc. This provides a software keyboard on the screen. A cursor automatically scans across this keyboard by row or by column. He can select a character by moving his cheek to stop the cursor. His cheek movement is detected by an infrared switch that is mounted on his spectacles. This switch is his only interface with the computer

. EZ Keys includes a word prediction algorithm, so he usually only has to type the first couple of characters before he can select the whole word. When he has built up a sentence, he can send it to his speech synthesizer. He use a separate hardware synthesizer, made by Speech+. It gives an accent that has been described variously as Scandinavian, American or Scottish.

 Through EZ Keys he can also control the mouse in Windows. This allows him to operate his whole computer. He can check his using the Eudora client, surf the internet using Firefox, or write lectures using Notepad. His latest computer from Intel, based on an Intel® Core™ i7 Processor and Intel® Solid- State Drive 520 Series, also contains a webcam which He use with Skype to keep in touch with his friends  He can also give lectures. He writes the lecture beforehand and save it on disk. He can then send it to the speech synthesiser a sentence at a time using the Equalizer software written by Words Plus. It works quite well and He can try out the lecture and polish it before he gives it.

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What if he lose the ability to control his cheek?  Technology has helped Stephen Hawking in many ways, and now it might allow him to communicate using thought alone.  The iBrain is the new system.It records brain activity from a single point on the scalp. An algorithm then extracts useful information from this activity.  Called the iBrain, this simple-looking contraption is part of an experiment that aims to allow Dr. Hawking — long paralyzed by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease — to communicate by merely thinking.  brainwaves-to-speech/

“At the moment, I think my cheek switch is faster but should the position change i will try Low’s system.”