Assistive Technology Mercury II, User Manual

Page 1: ...Mercury II User s Guide Assistive Technology Inc ...

Page 2: ...ks of Assistive Technology Inc Microsoft Microsoft Internet Explorer logo Windows Windows logo Windows Start logo and Windows Media are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and or other countries Quicktime is a trademark used under license Boardmaker and Speaking Dynamically Pro are registered trademarks of Mayer Johnson LLC Discover is a registe...

Page 3: ...mically Pro and Boardmaker 22 Mercury s remote control infrared features 26 Connecting to the Internet Mercury Access Features 27 Choosing an input device 28 Windows On Screen Keyboard 30 Calibrating the touchscreen 32 Switches 34 Wheelchair Joystick switch input 36 Connecting peripherals 37 Windows Control Panel 38 Setting up a Mercury desktop for easy access General Information 40 Mercury stand ...

Page 4: ...heelchair Joystick port For joystick input from a wheelchair ECU Requires a Mercury wheelchair cable See page 36 for more info Modem Port Connect to the Internet browse the World Wide Web and send and receive e mail USB Ports 1 and 2 Plug in peripherals like your keyboard mouse or external drives here PS 2 Port Plug in your keyboard here AC Power Adapter Battery Charger Port Plug in your AC Power ...

Page 5: ... to learn more about the CD DVD ROM Drive What other features does Mercury have Foldaway Handle Built in Microphone Record sounds and speech Pre programmed universal infrared and X 10 Use the Mercury s universal infrared as a remote control for your television VCR DVD player and cable or satellite receiver Use its X 10 Infrared Commands to turn on and off lights and appliances see page 22 Stereo S...

Page 6: ...Adapter into the AC Power Adapter Battery Charger Port on the bottom left side of Mercury 2 Attach the power cord to the AC Power Adapter then plug the power cord into a wall socket or power strip The Status LED will blink when the AC Power Adapter is inserted ...

Page 7: ...cury to turn it on 3 Plug your keyboard and mouse into the USB ports on the left side of the Mercury You will need these as you set up the Mercury and learn how to use it Be sure that nothing is touching the screen while the Mercury is starting up ...

Page 8: ... or shut it down For details about the Mer cury Control Panel see page 11 After you turn on the Mercury you will see the Windows Taskbar at the bottom of your desktop You can access all your programs files and settings from the Start menu on the Taskbar Click on All Programs to start other pro grams not listed above on the Start menu Click on shortcut buttons to start Outlook Express or Microsoft ...

Page 9: ...s concepts such as clicking and using files and folders choose the Tour Windows XP shortcut button from the Start menu you can also get to this tutorial by choosing All Programs then Accessories After the introduction click on the Windows XP Basics button and follow the instructions ...

Page 10: ...s in the Search box Click on any of the topics that appear If you didn t find the information you needed enter different key words For information on a specific Windows program while that program is active press the F1 key or click on the Help menu at the top of the window Select Help Topics Another way to request help is to right click the mouse on a window to bring up a What s This button Click ...

Page 11: ...1Select My Computer on the Start menu 2Double click on a folder to view its contents Alternatively click My Documents on the Start menu Click the Search button at the top of the window that appears Make a selection from the left pane to begin your search ...

Page 12: ...e the open programs in this example To switch to a different program click anywhere on the window of that program The Taskbar lists all programs that are currently running If a program is run ning but its window is minimized or covered by other windows click on its button on the Taskbar to switch to it ...

Page 13: ... next page Click the Speed Buttons to run your speech application the on screen keyboard or your remote controls You can edit these buttons and add buttons to customize your Mercury Use these controls to adjust the Mercury speaker and headphone volume and brightness of the display Use these buttons to shut down the Mercury or put it in Stand By mode Use the Minimize button to shrink the Mercury Co...

Page 14: ...ns by requiring a password entered at the right Click on the tabs below to switch to different setup screens Type the same password in both boxes then click Set Password This password will be required to enter this Setup screen Be sure to keep a record of your password in a safe place Click OK to keep these settings and exit Setup Click Cancel to exit Setup without keeping changes Click Apply to k...

Page 15: ...o the first empty button In the Button Editor you can create the button s appearance and choose whether the button will launch a program or link to another button group The screen below shows how to set up a Speed Button that launches the Wordpad accessory 3 Enter the name you want displayed on the Speed Button Choose an icon for the Speed Button no icon the icon associated with this program or an...

Page 16: ...nother group of Speed Buttons Below is an example of a Speed Button group of games 1 2 In the Button Editor type the name Games and choose an icon for the button if desired Under Navigate select Games as the Speed Button Set that this button will switch to 3 4 Use this button to make the selected group above be the Home group which will appear on the main screen of the Mercury Control Panel whenev...

Page 17: ...to your Games and Home button groups Try out your new Speed Buttons Click the Wordpad button to launch Wordpad When you click the Games button the new Speed Buttons for Games will appear Click the Back button to go to the previous button group Click the Home button to return to the Home group In this example both buttons will return you to the Home group 5 ...

Page 18: ...he Mercury for longer periods of time or you can enable Hibernate in the Power Setup tab see p 41 When Mercury has been shut down the screen will be dark and the status LED will not blink unless Mercury is charging while AC is connected You can also select Turn Off Computer from the Windows Start menu then choose Stand By Turn Off or Restart How do I turn Mercury off Use Restart to shut down and t...

Page 19: ...ams will require you to register information or serial numbers during installation Most installations will start automatically Then follow the on screen instructions The installation program may instruct you to restart your computer at the end of the installation process Often it will restart the computer for you When you want to eject the CD press the eject button on the CD ROM door and pull the ...

Page 20: ...lorer Drag the files and folders you wish to copy to the CD from your Mercury to the CD drive folder After you have selected the files and folders to copy they will appear in the CD drive window Open the CD Writing Wizard by clicking on Write these files to CD Type a name for the CD and click Next Follow the onscreen instructions to write the files to the CD If you are using a CD RW disc you can a...

Page 21: ...w and control DVD movies The diagram below shows the functions of the main buttons along with their keyboard equivalent commands For complete details on how to use WinDVD and the functions of all buttons click the WinDVD Help button Play Enter Pause Space DVD Menu Ctrl M Capture P This marker shows how much of the movie has played It automatically moves to the right as the movie plays Prev Chapter...

Page 22: ...he touchscreen mouse switch or alternative pointer Windows Movie Maker software for editing movies from video cameras Functionally Speaking a set of Speaking Dynamically Pro theme based communication boards and two levels of functional language boards developed by Assistive Technology Inc located in the My Boards folder under My Documents A User s Guide in Portable Document Format PDF file is also...

Page 23: ...select Startup Folder When you restart Windows the board you chose will load automati cally If you would like to change the startup board simply follow the instructions above for the new board Windows startup settings will be changed to load the new board in place of the old one 1 2 Moving a File to the SDP Externals Folder To launch a file from SDPro you need to put a shortcut to that file in a f...

Page 24: ... control codes for the particular television VCR cable system DVD player or satellite system you have You can set up multiple rooms each with different devices 1 2 3 4 5 In the window that opens select a device type from the left column then choose the manu facturer of that device from the second column Aim the infrared transmitter on the top of the Mercury at the device and click the Try Code but...

Page 25: ...the remote controls as described on the previous page Then to use them click the Speed But ton for Remote on the Mercury Control Panel see page 11 Click the Change Room button to select the room you are in 1 2 3 From the choices at the top of the Remote Control window click on the device you want to control Click the buttons on your Mercury s virtual remote to operate the device The buttons that a...

Page 26: ...nstalled in the SDP Sample Boards folder in the My Boards folder under My Documents To create a button action in a Speaking Dynamically Pro board that performs a Mercury Control Panel function 1 2 Open the board you wish to modify in Speaking Dynamically Pro and enter Design mode press ctrl D or choose Design from the Dynamic Boards menu if menus are showing Double click the button you want to add...

Page 27: ...file so you can make additional multi digit channel commands 5 From the File menu select Rename Type the desired channel number in place of 201 in the filename For example to make a command file to change the TV channel to 56 rename the file TV_56 or TV_56 vbs Note that the filename should begin with the name of the device you are controlling followed by an underscore character _ then the channel ...

Page 28: ...page 36 for recommended products You also need to have an account with an ISP Internet Service Provider before you can access the Internet Your ISP may provide instructions and installation disks If your ISP does not provide installation materials How do I connect Mercury to the Internet 1 Open the Start menu Select All Programs then Accessories then the Communications submenu and finally New Conn...

Page 29: ...verage visual motor skills and the ability to attend to the computer screen is a good candidate for a mouse Some users can physically access a mouse but find it challenging to understand the relationship between moving the mouse and cursor movement on the screen In that case try direct selection using the built in touchscreen Who uses an alternative pointing device A person with limited movement o...

Page 30: ...rol Panel see page 11 The Windows On Screen Keyboard can be used in click or hovering dwell mode with a mouse or joystick for selecting characters or can be used in scanning mode using a keyboard or switch input 2 At the Settings menu on the On Screen Keyboard choose Typing Mode On Screen Keyboard ...

Page 31: ...he Advanced button to select the Keyboard key Click the down arrow and select space Note Click on the window of the program you will be typing into for example WordPad The On Screen Keyboard s keystrokes will not appear if the program is not currently active 5 To use the On Screen Keyboard with the Mercury switch input make sure that space is selected here and switch 1 is set to space in the Mercu...

Page 32: ...ry Control Panel Use your finger or a stylus on the touchscreen do not use sharp objects that can scratch or puncture it Click the Setup button on the Mercury Control Panel see page 11 then in the Main Setup tab under Touchscreen click Touchscreen Setup Click the Calibration tab at the top of the window then click the large calibration target to start calibration The default Calibration Type is 4 ...

Page 33: ...e touchscreen click the Click Settings tab and then the Enable right click emulation check box If you need to change the way the touchscreen responds click the Touch Settings tab and then choose either Normal Touch down or Touch up Additional Touchscreen Features ...

Page 34: ...the plug into the Switch 1 2 jack on the side of Mercury Or using 2 single switches insert the plug from each switch into a splitter then plug the splitter into the Switch 1 2 jack The splitter or Y Adapter is available from RadioShack and the catalog number is 274 375B The jacks are color coded Nickel for left Switch 1 and Gold for right Switch 2 To use the Wheelchair Joystick input See page 34 f...

Page 35: ...utton then click the Switches tab Use the program s documentation to choose the correct settings for either single or dual switch scanning When you click OK or Apply your settings are saved Check your software documentation to determine if a keystroke is required for scanning If you are using a switch with Discover Switch software click the Discover button to use the Mercury switch input to activa...

Page 36: ...ick is in switch communication mode see the documentation for your wheelchair electronics the joystick will move the mouse on the screen If you want to add a switch to click the mouse button connect a single switch to the Switch 1 2 jack on the Mercury or to the auxiliary switch input on the wheelchair ECU The normal setting for Joystick is Move Mouse Moving the joystick will start moving the mous...

Page 37: ... selecting objects with a switch you will need a momentary contact switch with a standard 1 8 inch plug If you are not using a switch use a dwell utility such as Dragger32 from Origin Instruments Magic Cursor 2000 from Madentec or SmartClick from RJ Cooper Associates Call ATI at 1 800 793 9227 for product details The Custom Joystick Setup window will appear Choose the settings appropriate for you ...

Page 38: ...cable to connect If you need to use more than two USB devices at the same time you must use a USB hub To use a hub with Mercury Plug the hub into one of the Mercury USB ports then plug your other peripherals into the USB ports on the hub Some devices are powered by the USB port Other devices have or require their own power AC adapter Follow the manufacturers directions to set up and connect these ...

Page 39: ...akers To hear the previews button clicks and button scan sounds on headphones only under Right Volume set Preview Sounds Button Click Sounds and Button Scan Sounds to Mute Only Normal Sounds will then be heard from the Mercury speakers To set up headphone previews in SDP add Recorded Preview actions to your buttons in your SDP boards Only Recorded Preview actions will be heard privately on your he...

Page 40: ...t text size Display Control Panel To enlarge the size of the text that appears on windows and menus choose Control Panel from the Start menu At the Pick a Category screen choose Appearance and Themes Then choose Display from the Control Panel icons near the bottom of the screen Select the Appearance tab on the Display Properties window that appears Choose Extra Large Fonts from the Font size drop ...

Page 41: ...gnifier a feature that enlarges the mouse or pointer s current location to make boxes and buttons easier to see choose All Programs from the Start menu then Accessories then Accessibility then Magnifier To access Narrator a screen readback utility choose All Programs from the Start menu then Accessories then Accessibility then Narrator Other Accessibility Options Folder Options Control Panel At th...

Page 42: ...upright into position with your other hand Then release the button to keep the unit in place Note that the inner black ring moves while you push the button Do not squeeze the plastic ring while pushing the button as the leg will not operate properly Use an angle that is slightly less than 90 degrees Mounting the unit to a wheelchair The cutout on the plate accommodates both the Daedalus quick rele...

Page 43: ... Adjust the level at which Mercury warns you of a low battery or shuts down the Mercury Optimize Mercury for economy longer battery life or performance faster processing speed with the Advanced Power Savings settings Choose which power buttons are available on the Mercury Control Panel main screen Choose the suspend mode you prefer Open the Windows Power Control Panel Restore the original Power se...

Page 44: ...nc To preserve the life of your battery charge and discharge it frequently daily if possible Leaving it in the Mercury with it always plugged in will shorten the battery s life If the battery will not be used for a long period of time store it below room temperature at less than a 50 charge If you follow these guidelines your battery should last for several years Warning You will lose all unsaved ...

Page 45: ...seconds to respond If not try to cancel what Mercury is doing Press the ctrl alt delete keys simultaneously Choose Task Manager and then click on the End Task button If the Mercury does not respond press the ctrl alt delete keys simultaneously and click on the Shutdown button in Task Manager If your Mercury still doesn t respond restart it Press and hold the Power button for five seconds to shut d...

Page 46: ...lugging and plugging in the device again If the device requires its own power check to see that its power supply is plugged in and turned on Check to see if the device requires any software that needs to be installed If that doesn t work contact the device manufac turer If your switch input doesn t work Make sure the Mercury Control Panel is running and is loaded as a startup item If that doesn t ...

Page 47: ... within easy reach so that you can unplug your Mercury when you need to Warning Do not open Mercury If you attempt to open your Mercury any damage you cause to your equipment will not be covered by your Mercury warranty Contact Assistive Technology Inc if you have other warranty related questions Electrical equipment may be hazardous if misused Operation of this product or similar products must al...

Page 48: ...lly used in residences Do not connect it to a digital telephone line This type of line is incompatible with the modem and can damage it Lithium Ion batteries contain hazardous chemicals and should not be thrown out with household trash Check with local authorities for disposal When using Mercury or when charging the battery it is normal for the bottom of the case to get warm The bottom of the case...

Page 49: ...operly If the connector does not insert easily they do not match Do not use sharp or pointed objects on the touchscreen Do not place heavy objects on the touchscreen Excess weight can cause damage to the touchscreen and display Use only the battery that came with Mercury Batteries for other electronic devices may look similar but they can damage it If your Mercury has been in a cold place for seve...

Page 50: ...ake certain the Mercury and the television or radio are on circuits controlled by different circuit breakers or fuses Responsible party for FCC matters Assistive Technology Inc Industry Canada statement This Class B device meets all requirements of the Canadian interfer ence causing equipment regulations Cet appareil numérique de la Class B respect toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le matérial...

Page 51: ... to a coin operated telephone and may not work with a private branch exchange PBX Telephone Consumer Protection Act The Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 makes it unlawful for any person to use a computer or other electronic device to send any message via a telephone fax machine unless such message clearly contains in a margin at the top or bottom of each transmitted page or on the first p...

Page 52: ...ons effectuées par l utilisateur ou à cause de mauvais fonctionnement Pour sa propre protection l utilisateur doit s assurer que tous les fils de mise à la terre du secteur des lignes téléphoniques et les canalisations d eau métalliques s il y en a soient raccordés en semble Cette précaution est particulièrement importante dans les régions rurales Avertissement L utilisateur ne doit pas tenter de ...