Question 1

What is DiscoveryPEN?

Accepted Answer

The DiscoveryPEN is simple, but effective and affordable technology, which is used in schools, by the RNIB, for bird recognition, and for Museums, Heritage Houses, and Nature Trails. The pen has 3 buttons, although only the power button is needed to listen to an audio trail.

Turn on the power button and touch any ‘sound spot’ printed on leaflets, badges, posters etc. The sensor tip detects the sound spot and plays back the allocated mp3 file. The pen-user can pause the recording by clicking the M button quickly, or stop it by touching another sound spot. The user defines their own sequence. (The record button is for project work in which venues have student visitors, such as talking panels.) The audio port is for headphones or power speakers, and can be used by people with partial hearing-loss via RNIB approved induction-loop earphones. There is a USB port which is used to recharge the batteries, or to transfer files for new trails. The silicone sleeve protects against knocks and prevents users from accessing the rechargeable batteries. There is also a point for attaching lanyards. Inside is an 8GB SD card, expandable to 16GB. (8GB will give approximately 150 hours of recording.) Charging time is 1.5 hours, and the pen will run for an average 2500 'taps' on a sound spot (much more if headphones are used). The built-in speakers provide enough sound for normal sound environments, and many users set volume levels where they can hold the pen near their ear like a phone.
 
Salient features users like about the system are:
●    The ability to create and manage ones own content while making changes quickly and easily
●    The various media a single pen can access, e.g. badges, leaflets, wall panels, and outdoor platforms
●    The ability to get started with little or no training in content creation
●    The simplicity of design where users can listen at their own pace and sequence, with no keying in. Users can pause, stop and listen randomly, without following a linear sequence
●    The opportunity to use TouchSpot Audio (makers of DiscoveryPEN) as a one-stop shop for interpretation, design, translations and supply of pens and printing
●    The low cost of the system, including maintenance and flexible pricing, compared to alternatives.

Question 2

What are the applications?

Accepted Answer

The principle of 'Soft Technology' applies across a growing range of users: Education - where the PENpal is used in infant and primary schools in the UK, Sweden, Norway and the USA. RNIB - where the PENfriend is used for labelling by blind and partially-sighted people. The UK's Birding community use the BirdVoicePEN for call recognition, and recording birdsong in the field.
 
Soft Technology is something unique to us: marrying digital devices to traditional print. On the digital front we have a range of pens. On the print side there are Talking printed books, Talking posters, Talking badges, Talking wall panels and Talking outdoor platforms. The latter is a case in point of the benefits of 'soft technology' - with current outdoor screens, all the electronics are exposed to the elements, so outdoor platforms need cables for power, air-conditioning for electronics, and complex maintenance. With DiscoveryPEN platforms, all the electronics are inside a portable pen. Changes to the audio, or even the visual print, can be quick and easy.

Question 3

How are Talking Wall Panels made?

Accepted Answer

Design your artwork and decide where you want to have sound spots. Number them according to numbers in DiscoveryLINK using the ‘wall panel’ profile.

Open DiscoveryLINK, and allocate MP3 files to the numbered sound spots. When ready, click ‘Upload’ and the compiled file will automatically be loaded into the DiscoveryPEN.

Send us the high resolution PDF with a rough copy indicating where each numbered sound spot is to be positioned.

We will print out on durable, tear-resistant polypropylene sheets. Cost indications for a 150cm by 75cm talking wall panel with up to 30 sound spots would be £45.00 each.

The same DiscoveryPEN will read all sound-enabled media: leaflets, badges, medallions, wall panels, outdoor platforms and more.

Question 4

How are the Outdoor Talking Platforms made?

Accepted Answer

We have the partners to make the actual outdoor platforms, be they in wood, metal or laminates. All you need to do is provide us with the 300dpi PDF artwork. We can print up to 70cm wide and 1.5m long (portrait or landscape). Also, on a rough artwork, indicate where you would like sound spots. Each sound spot can hold up to 60 minutes audio. We will do the rest, and supply the platform along with the DiscoveryPENs.

Unlike other interactive outdoor platforms/panels, all the electronics are kept inside the DiscoveryPEN, not inside the outdoor panel. Therefore there are no costs for power cables, outdoor air-conditioning, expensive video screens, etc. Also, the cost of changing audio content is low since you just need to replace the artwork sheet using the DiscoveryLINK process.

Question 5

How are Leaflets made?

Accepted Answer

Making paper leaflets with artwork that talk is really easy. You can laminate them, or even bulk print for pence, so that the visitor can listen and take it home as an aide-memoir! Here is what you do:

1. Make a rough sketch of the visual graphic - could be pictures, maps, text...
2. Decide where you want sound spots to be
3. Give the sketch to your Graphic Designer who sends us a print-ready high-res PDF
4. Send another low-res PDF or printout, indicating where you want the sound spots to be
5. Make your audio .mp3 files for the sound spots
6. Send us your PDFs and .mp3 files
7. We will print and compile all your .mp3 files co-ordinated to your artwork as one DPEN file. Touch the DiscoveryPEN to any sound spot in your artwork and listen - to Narrations, Music, Sound effects.
 
So really, the ball is in your court. Once we receive the PDFs and .mp3 we can deliver in 3 weeks maximum. You can elect to make pads of your artwork to hand out a page to each visitor after they have used it in the venue;
or
we can print on card and laminate for longer life
or
we can mount onto Aluminium sandwich backing to screw fit onto walls
or
we can also make the sound spots tactile so that visually impaired or blind people can share the enjoyment too.
 
Should you wish at any time to make changes to the audio, you can do so easily by replacing the appropriate audio in DiscoveryLINK. Then connect the pen and the new file will be installed automatically. You can make as many changes as you wish without incurring any costs. Wish to make a new trail or an audio for a temporary exhibition? No problem, go through the steps above. The control is with you and thereby minimises costs.

Question 6

How are Badges and Medallions sound-enabled?

Accepted Answer

All the badges have a unique number that corresponds to numbers in DiscoveryLINK. Open DiscoveryLINK, select the badges profile, then allocate your MP3 files as before. Once ready, connect the pen via USB to DiscoveryLINK and the compiled file will automatically be transferred to your pen. You are then ready to start listening when pen touches badge.
Want to make changes? No problem. Change the appropriate MP3 files, click ‘Upload’, and the new file will be transferred to the pen.

WHAT'S THE PROCESS?

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