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Wheelchair Microphone/Speaker?
Hey all! I’ve been thinking a lot about my voice and how difficult it is for me to talk in a loud atmosphere. I would love to get out more, but that’s really the one thing holding me back—I just can’t talk to people, which is pretty much the point of getting out in the first place.
I was doing some research the other night and found a microphone that clips to a wheelchair headrest. It’s low-profile and adjustable, so I can just push it away when I’m not using it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really have a speaker component. I think it’s meant for Dragon Naturally Speaking, so it’s input more than output, but it got me thinking. If I could rig a speaker to my chair, I could amplify my voice and virtually sidestep most issues I have with socializing.
I thought I’d run the idea past the community. If you have trouble being heard, do you have any tips? Is there something that works for you? If you have any recommendations, I’d love to hear them!
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6 Replies
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I have the same problem, but I’ve never tried any sort of mic. Curious to see responses here.
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You can easily clip a mini electric guitar amp like the Danelectro Honeytone N-10 to your chair and plug the mic into that. If the plug for your mic doesn’t fit into the amp there are adapters that you can buy that will help.
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This is a great idea! Thanks Patrick!
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This is such an interesting topic Brianna. I use Dragon Speak to dictate on my computer while I’m home, and I ended up getting the Dragon Professional Individual version. The older versions had some quirks, but the Professional Individual version works really well.
I’m sure that there is a way to attach a microphone to a speaker that can be attached to your chair. I would call your local dealer that does work on your wheelchair to ask them if they have anything, or if they have any ideas on where you could go to get this. A lot of people with SMA have difficulty projecting their voice, so this may be something that could be very helpful to many people. I’ll call the company that I go through on Monday and see if they have anything, and I will let you know.
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I’ve used Dragon before and had a lot of issues with it, but that was years ago, so I should really try it again. Right now I type everything via onscreen keyboard!
I was able to find several microphones, but I couldn’t figure out how to connect them to a speaker. I might try the guitar amp and see how that works!
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I like my rechargeable portable voice amplifier for long rides if I am the only one sitting in the back of the van, so I can effortlessly hold a conversation with the driver (in my rather loud, ’91 VW hippy bus). You can search on Ebay or Amazon and find several for around $30. My only tip when choosing one is that some are charged via a standard USB cables, which are easily replaced if lost, and can potentially be changed on one’s wheelchair. =)
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