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Quartet Environmental Control Units
What is an ECU?
Download 8 minute demonstration video
An Environmental Control Unit (ECU) is a means to purposefully
manipulate and interact with the
environment by alternately accessing one or more electrical
devices via switches, voice activation, remote
control, computer interface, and other technological
adaptations. The purpose of an ECU is to maximize
functional ability and independence in the home, school,
work and leisure environment.
ECUs are used primarily by quadriplegics or others who
have lost the use of their arms and hands. There
are other devices available for able-bodied hobbyists
and homeowners to automate their homes, but ECUs as
discussed here and sold by 1stVoice are specialized devices
designed to allow people with disabilities to
control televisions, radios, VCR's, etc.. They
are designed with an integrated telephone, allowing independence
in communication. They can also operate bed controls,
door openers, call buttons, and more. Quartet ECUs
offer control of a computer keyboard and mouse as well.
And, especially interesting from our point of view,
Quartet ECUs integrate seamlessly with Dragon NaturallySpeaking
voice recognition software.
For the severely disabled (quadriplegics, MS, ALS, etc.),
accomplishing very mundane tasks is impossible.
Frequently, an attendant or family member must be on
call or at bedside continuously, simply to change the
channel on the TV, dial or answer the phone, or change
the position on the head or foot of the bed. This is
costly, invasive of the person's privacy, demeaning,
and frankly unnecessary if an ECU can be installed.
Quartet Technology Inc. and 1stVoice
We are both pleased and privileged to partner with Quartet
Technology; to sell, install, and service their products.
Quartet is the oldest and most established company in
the ECU industry. They have an incredible level
of commitment to their products and their customers.
They have more units in use in the field than all of
their competitors combined. And for good reason.
The units are rugged, reliable, and easy to use. They give the
users verbal feedback on what the ECU is controlling.
Other units frequently utilize a screen for navigation
through control menus -- of limited use for those with
less than perfect vision, or in a dark room. Quartet gives
users the option of switch or voice input, or both.
There are many more reasons to choose a Quartet unit.
Ten
Tips That Help You Select The Right ECU is
a document produced by Quartet Technology with many important
questions for you to ask prior to
selecting an ECU.
Costs
The cost of an ECU will vary according to the complexity
of installation, and the number and nature of
devices to be controlled. Quartet ECUs can control
most TVs, VCRs, cable and satellite boxes which
have infrared controls. The integrated telephone
includes features of up to 100 speed dial numbers, the
ability to navigate voice mail and telephony menus, and
more. Lights, thermostats, door openers, call
bells, bed controls, and more are also options.
The cost will typically vary between $6000 and $10000,
installed. This may sound like a lot, but to put ECUs
in perspective, please consider the following:
Benefits
- The ability to turn a light on or
off confers basic control of your environment, as well as increasing
safety and security
- Controlling a TV and VCR allows
for continuing education
- Using a telephone allows for independent
communication, and increased security (dial 911)
- Opening an automatic door allows
you to quickly and independently leave a smoke filled room
- Operating a computer may aid in
entering or re-entering the work force
- Adjusting bed positions at will
improves blood circulation and comfort, and helps prevent
skin breakdown
- Controlling an air conditioner,
ceiling fan, or thermostat helps regulate body temperature
And all of the above result in:
increased independence
increased self-reliance
increased levels of self-esteem
fewer attendant hours
less institutionalization
lower overall costs of care
more peace of mind for family and friends
less work for care-givers
More information
Insurance and State Rehabilitation programs will frequently
reimburse for ECUs, based on long-
term cost savings, and increased independence.
The Department of Veterans Affairs has many
Quartet ECUs in use throughout the country.
Please contact 1stVoice by email
or at (650) 747-0275 for more information. Printed brochures
can be mailed on request. An evaluation is typically
required prior to any sale, to ensure that the
client is receiving an ECU tailored to their needs and
abilities.
For a complete history of Quartet Technologies and more
detailed descriptions of their products,
please go to http://www.qtiusa.com.
But don't forget to come back here! For a brief piece
on Quartet which gives a sense of their level of commitment,
click here.
1stVoice and Quartet Environmental Control Units
Ten Tips That Help You Select The Right ECU
top of page
copyright
Quartet Technology Inc.
An ECU allows you to control your surroundings: open and
close windows and doors, answer the phone, chat with
friends via the INTERNET, turn on electric appliances,
watch TV, change the room temperature, turn the pages of a
book and much, much more. It puts you in charge.
With the right system, you can gain more independence
than you ever thought possible. With the wrong system,
however, you could unnecessarily limit yourself.
There are many types of units available today with a wide
range of features suited to various user abilities. Some may
suit your need today. Others may not. Some may be flexible
enough to accommodate your future needs. Others may not.
When choosing an ECU, you should consider whether a unit
can keep up with emerging technologies and with your
desire for increasing freedom.
Here are some "shopping tips" you should keep in mind
as your look at ECUs. Your occupational therapist can offer
valuable guidance during this process and help you feel
comfortable with your final decision.
TIP#1: Learn about the manufacturer
Start your decision-making process by "doing your homework."
Your ECU dealer should help you answer the following
questions about each ECU's manufacturer:
Do they specialize in developing
ECU units?
Have they developed innovative
products or do they "follow the market" by copying other designs?
How many improvements have they
made to their original designs?
You can learn about the system's manufacturer by carefully
reading their literature. But you may also want to talk to
someone who has seen the evolution of ECUs, such as your
occupational therapist. Getting to "know" the company
behind each system can help you avoid purchasing an inappropriate
ECU.
TIP#2: Find out how you will actually control the ECU
The more options you have--switch, voice, and/or both--the
more independence you can gain. Look for the ability to
customize or combine the control (input) devices to meet
your needs. While a voice activated system can give the most
independence, one's voice can become weak by the end
of the day, so an ECU that can be controlled by both voice and
switch may be very beneficial.
TIP3#: Find out if the ECU is dependent on other equipment
If you are considering an ECU that is operated by computer,
be aware that, if the computer "crashes" (stops working),
your ECU will "crash", too. If this is a concern to you,
look for a "stand-alone" ECU, one that functions independently
from your computer.
TIP#4: Examine the ECUs flexibility
Can the system be modified to meet your needs? After you
have purchased an ECU unit and you have a new cable
television system installed, can control of the cable
TV be added as a function right from your own home? Or do you
have to send the unit back to the manufacturer?
TIP#5: Consider remote control capabilities
If you choose a system with remote control capabilities,
you can move from room to room and operate the system from
anywhere in your home--without moving the ECU.
TIP#6: Find out exactly how the ECU is controlled
For example, when you want to turn on the television,
can you simply say: "television", or do you need to chase through
multiple layers of information? The most contemporary
unit can be controlled without confusing visual or text
interfaces, saving your time, frustration, and energy.
TIP#7: What's built-in?
Look for an ECU that has all functions built-in. One thing
you should specifically ask about is whether or not the system
conforms to industry-standard power line technology.
If it conforms, you won't need lots of extension cords running
throughout the house
Also look for the ability to control a computer. As mentioned
in tip #3, be sure your ECU controls the computer, not the
opposite. On-line services, such as the Internet and
the World Wide Web give you the ability to shop, bank, do research
and communicate with people who share your interests--with
incredible ease.
For the best computer control, choose a system in which
the mouse and keyboard are operated separately from the PC.
This enables you to perform any mouse function without
a lot of extra work, such as "warm booting" or "drawing in
paintbrush".
TIP#8: Get all the installation details
Installing a unit for all of your personal needs doesn't
have to be difficult. Focus your search on ECUs that offer "plug
and play" capabilities. That means the ECU will be easy
to install, and it will be easy to move, if necessary.
TIP#9: Make sure your ECU keeps working if there is a power failure
Be sure your ECU has a battery back up. If you ever lose
power in the house, a battery back up will ensure that you
can still make a telephone call in case of an emergency.
TIP#10: Get all the facts on service and support
The key here is to find an ECU that is sold by knowledgeable,
well-trained dealers. Asking some of the questions raised
in this document will help you determine the quality
of the various ECU dealers you may meet. Also ask the dealer for
referrals. And find out each dealer's policies on service
and support.
---
Guess what -- Quartet ECUs have all the right answers to the above questions, not surprisingly!!
Quartet Technology Company Profile and History top of page
Since its inception in 1983, Quartet Technology, Inc. has grown to be
a world leader in the development and sale of
environmental control units (ECU's). State of the art technology and
product diversity have made it the company
rehabilitation specialists look to first when seeking to return their
clients to their greatest possible level of independence.
Yet as our company has grown to include multiple product lines and a
network of dealers that extends around the globe,
we continue to be guided by the personal vision that inspired and continues
to inspire our founder: that of restoring
self-esteem and dignity to the physically disabled.
As a young engineer working with voice recognition systems in the early
1980s, Michael Rourke wondered if there was
a way this new technology could be adapted to help his mother, who
had long been confined to a wheelchair with
multiple sclerosis. A few devices designed specifically for the physically
challenged had begun to come on the market at
that point, but they were of little help to quadriplegics like Ellen
Rourke, who could not use her hands well enough even
to press the oversized keypads that would have allowed her to dial
a phone or turn on a light.
Banks and even venture capitalists were skeptical, so Mike Rourke gathered
some private investors and set to work in
1983 in the basement of his home. The bankers may not have known what
helplessness looked like, but the son of a
quadriplegic knew all too well:
It looked like a grown woman, her mind sharp but her body uncooperative,
forced to gaze vacantly at Sesame Street for
hours on end one day because no one thought to change the channel before
they went on about their business.
It looked like a mother so frustrated by her own neediness and a family
so overwhelmed by the demands of caring for
her that they were often at each others' throats.
At that point, it looked like a lifetime sentence.
Undeterred, Mr. Rourke tinkered, fine-tuning each invention by trying
it out on his mother. It was during this process
that he learned a lesson that has proven to be the cornerstone of Quartet's
ongoing success.
"You have to listen to your clients and imagine yourself in someone
else's body. You have to ask yourself what you
would need if you were them " says Mr.Rourke, who serves as president
of Quartet and remains active in new product
development. "We always have to remember that our clients are smart;
they're just trapped in a body that doesn't
work."
Working with his mother brought him down to earth many times in the
course of developing his first ECU and taught
him another valuable lesson.
"You have to learn not to be embarrassed by your mistakes," Mr. Rourke
says. "I was so proud of the first unit I made
for my mother because I gave it a keypad so she could dial the phone.
She said, 'That's nice, Mike, but how am I
going to push those buttons?' That was the start of my education and
I'm still learning."
By the time Ellen Rourke passed away in 1996, she had long since traded
in round the clock attendant care for a few
hours of help each day and Quartet was introducing its third generation
of voice and/or switch activated ECUs, each
opening possibilities the physically disabled could only have dreamed
of in the past.
As rewarding to Mike Rourke as any other aspect of his success was seeing
the change in his mother's personality as
she began to do things for herself. He saw that this new technology
could provide benefits that went far beyond mere
physical assistance.
"Once she could move herself around in her chair, open doors, dial a
phone, turn pages in a book by herself and
write on her computer, she became the person we could only vaguely
remember from before her illness," he recalls.
"It had really done a number on her self-esteem to have to constantly
ask people to do things for her. It made her
cranky, and understandably so. That first unit was pretty crude compared
to what we're doing now, but I don't
remember anything bringing a smile to her face like that before."
Rourke and the rest of the Quartet staff and dealers continue to be
inspired by the improvements they see in the lives of
their customers. In addition to constantly refining and expanding their
product line and support services, they also take
an active role in advocating for better services for the physically
disabled. Their goal is to see every disabled person
equipped with whatever assistive devices allow them to meet their highest
potential, whether those devices are Quartet
products or those of another manufacturer.
Through its ongoing product development,committment to end-users and
superior service, Quartet Technology, Inc.
expects to remain the leader in finding solutions for their clients'
current and future needs.
Today, Quartet is the only company to offer ECUs that are controlled
by spoken command -- the only method of
activation feasible for up to a quarter of all quadriplegics -- without
reliance on a PC or an uninterrupted source of
electricity.
Expanded features for each of our existing units are already on the
drawing board, and Quartet continues to welcome
suggestions and comments for improving its products and services to
best fit the needs of its users.