1986 SoftVoice
First Voice Recognition Computer System - Prototype

1986 SoftVoice
First Voice Recognition Computer System - Product Photo

1986 SoftVoice
First Voice Recognition Computer System - Product Photo

1986 SoftVoice
First Voice Recognition Computer System - Product Photo of 5 1/4" Software Disks

These four 172 k floppy disks contained the SoftVoice operating system, the voice recognition operating system, 30 games, word processing spreadsheet, database, graphic package, modem software and more. All controlled via voice recognition.
SoftVoice was a concatenation of Voice Activated Software.

This was the original Demonstration Unit, design for my first presentation to Apple Computer at their headquarters on Cupertino, California. This unit travel to 22 of the United States, Sweden, Norway, and England.

The demonstration unit showed how 256 lights and appliance could be controlled, on/off. dimmed in 10% increments.

1986 SoftVoice
First Voice Recognition Computer System
Lon S. Safko with Prototype

This photo was taken at the first television interview by NBC Television, which led to the story that ran in Yakima, Washington, which resulted in it's first sale

The client in Yakima was trying to commit suicide until he used the system. This lead to a second story by NBC Television about the first computer to save someone's life.

1987 First Voice Controlled Rely Speakerphone

This is the letter from Apple Computer thanking me for visiting and demonstrating the computer system. This confirms the "Reducing To Practice" of the system

This visit lead to Apple purchasing serial #0002 for their museum at their world headquarters and a sign that read "First Computer To Save Someone's Life"

1987 Apple Letter
Apple Certified Developer Letter
Confirmation Of My Certification

1987 Westinghouse Entrepreneur Presentation - First Pre-Production Model - Resulted In My Entrepreneur of the Year Award

This is it's first public presentation or for trade show. It was held in Kennewick, Washington by Westinghouse Electric Company showcasing entrepreneurs.

As a result Westinghouse Electric awarded me their First Entrepreneur Of The Year Award and a bond for $500.

This lead to a relationship with Westinghouse whereby they allow Safko International, Inc. to operate rent free for the firs year of operation.

1988 First SenSei Environmental Control - Prototype Including Telephone Control - First Use of The HeadMouse & Macintosh

This was the very first Macintosh version. I ported the SoftVoice over to the Mac, switching from Voice Recognition to a Device I called the HeadMouse.

The HeadMouse was an I.R. (Infra-Red), Triangulation mouse movement and sip & puff mouse button controller.

The HeadMouse was developed by an individual from Polaroid in Stamford, CT. When I declined to manufacture, I introduced him to Barry Romich or Prentke & Romich who purchased the rights, and called it the HeadMaster.

1988 First SenSei Environmental Control - Prototype Operating System
First Use Hypercard as SenSei O. S.

The SenSei System with the HeadMouse Receiver.

On the screen is the first prototype of the new SenSei System. SenSei is a stylization of Sensei, meaning Master / Teacher. Master your environment / Teach yourself the use of a computer.

The SenSei Software was actually an O. S. that was the first graphics based O. S. that included environmental and telephone control, and control over any off-the-shelf software available for the Macintosh.

1988 First SenSei Environmental Control - First Client Using System
Houston, TX V.A. Hospital

This was the first client to use the SenSei System. He was a "complete" quadriplegic hospitalized in the Houston Veterans Administration Hospital. He was completely paralyzed from the neck down as a result of a motorcycle accident.

The most significant achievement in his rehabilitation was he was able to once again, sign his own name using the SenSei System, thus regaining some control, but most importantly, his identity.

This is a letter from the V.A. thanking me for coming to Houston to demonstrate the SenSei System.

This also confirms dates and reduction to practice.

This is the very first prototype of a RS-232 serial, relay operated speaker telephone controller.

By clicking a telephone icon in the software, the computer would send an appropriate serial code to this unit, switching on a speaker phone

The unit also simultaneously accommodated a modem and an external telephone for non-disabled use.

At this time Keith Fischer joined the team bringing genius to all of electronic board and prototype designs.

1988 First Serial / Electric Bed Controller - Prototype Including Nurse Call - Front View

As a result of my visit to the V.A., I realized another important component of environmental control was the patient's electronic hospital bed.

This is the first prototype of a RS-232 serial, electronic hospital bed controller. By clicking on a visual picture of a hospital bed Height Up/Down, Head Up/Down, or Knee Up/Down, the C-2 Quad, paralyzed can still operate his bed without assistance.

1988 First Serial / Electric Bed Controller - Prototype Including Nurse Call - Rear View

1988 First SenSei Serial Controller Interface - Prototype Including Environmental, Telephone, Bed, and Nurse Call

This is the very first SenSei Server. We combined all of the about controllers, speaker telephone and environmental daughter P.C. boards,and bed interfaces all in one unit.

This is the first prototype built in a Radio Shack Hobby Box, with Speaker Foam glued to the front.

While the styling changed over the coming years, the functionality remained very much the same.

1988 First SenSei Serial Controller Interface - Prototype Including: Environmental, Telephone, Bed, and Nurse Call - Rear View

1988 First Sip / Puff RCA Color 100 TV Controller - Prototype Including: On/Off, Channel Up/Down, & Volume Up/Down

During my presentation in Houston, I met the Rep from the RCA Company. He was closing a contract on several hundred color TV's for the rooms in the new building.

We developed this, the SipTroller to allow quadriplegics to control a television without the use of a computer or their hands. It was a stand-alone. Sip changed it from Power to Channel to Volume, Puff changed it from Up to Down.

1988 First Sip / Puff RCA Color 100 TV Controller - Prototype Including: On/Off, Channel Up/Down, & Volume Up/Down - Rear View

1988 First Head Activated Environmental Control
Includes new Server Design, Black & White Mac - HeadMouse, And Modules - Rear View

1988 First Improved SenSei Server Design - First Production Design
Rear View

1988 First Production Of SenSei Servers - Initial Inventory

1988 First Production SenSei System
First Use Of Fully Graphic SenSei O. S.
Front View

1988 First Modified Trackball
Allowed External Switching Options

This was the first Modified Trackball. We worked with Kensington whereby the disabled with partial use of a limb could move the ball to position the mouse, and click the mouse with any number of external switches which could include; a foot switch, sip/puff, slap switch, etc

In the rear we mounted a 1/8" mini jack to accommodate the switch.

1988 First I. R. Puff Activated Switch
First Prototype Design - Front View

1988 First I. R. Puff Activated Switch
First Prototype Design - Front View

1989 First Modified Mouse Switch
Allowed Mouse Button Control of HeadMouse

This is a production version of the Puff Activated I. R. Switch. By Puffing or Sipping on a tube connected to this devise, the disabled user could send I. R. codes that were received by the SenSei Server that could control the hospital bed, telephone, and 256 lamps and appliances.

It was powered by a 9v battery which allowed the user complete mobility.

1989 First Production Design
I. R. Puff Activated Switch

1989 First Serial / Smith & Davis Bed Interface - Production Model

This is the first RS-232 Serial Electronic Hospital Bed Controller. It was designed to interface with the Smith & Davis (the most popular electronic hospital bed of the time).

It would connect directly to the bed and to the SenSei Server. The significance of this was the Smith & Davis bed was 220v AC. This protected the user from the high voltage and allowed for the SenSei Software to control the bed.

1990 First Native America Client
Flagstaff, Arizona

This is Franklin. Franklin was our first Native American using the SenSei System. Franklin was a Navajo who live near Flagstaff, Arizona.

Franklin is using the HeadMouse and puff tube with the SenSei System.

1990 First Foot Activated Environment Control - Two Switch, Two Controls, LED Feedback

This is the PAL System. The PAL (Programmable Appliances & Lights), was a stand-alone system that controlled 256 lamps and appliances through the use of a simple external switch. Like the FreeSwitch, the PAL would accommodate any switch with a 1/8" mini connector.

This was developed for a construction worker who fell from a roof and broke his neck becoming a C-3 quadriplegic.

1989 European SenSei System
Demonstration Unit

This was when we were commissioned by the government of Sweden to convert the entire SenSei System unto a European / Swedish version of the American SenSei System.

This included a redesign of all of the circuitry in the SenSei Server from 120v to 220v and even different Hertz. THe SenSei Software was completely rewritten in Sweden and translated into Swedish.

1992 First Color SenSei Operating System - First Fully Graphic O. S.

With Apple releasing their first color Macintosh, this was our first version of the full 256 color SenSei Software and Operating System.

The screen shown is of the desk top or the main O. S. screen. It was as easy to operate as, if you want to make a phone call, click on the phone, if you want to control your ceiling fan, click on the fan.

The concept was "Pre-Computer Technology Metaphor". What ever technology existed before the computer would be represented as an icon.

This became the archetype for Microsoft's "Bob" O. S.

1992 First Color SenSei Operating System - Telephone Dialer Interface

1992 First Color SenSei Operating System - Environmental Control Interface

This screen shows the ease of use of the environmental control components. The room shown is the living room, where any number of different rooms could be used such as; the kitchen, bedroom, even outdoor sprinklers and lighting.

This software would control the full capabilities of the SenSei Server, 256 lights or appliances, on, off or dim in 10% increments.

The software even had the capabilities of remembering commands that can be timed, such as turn the lights on automatically at 6:00 PM or dim them at 10:00 PM.

1992 First Color SenSei Operating System - Library Interface

This is the library screen. We were the first, to our knowledge, to place books in a computer to be read by the user. We collected the first ASCII code of famous books and designed and interface that would allow the user to not only read the books, but the SenSei Software would read them to the user out loud!

This was available as early as March, 1988.

We were also the first to include all of our users guides on a software version. This was a big contention with Apple, who at the time, disagreed with "soft" versions of manuals.

1992 First Color SenSei Operating System - Individual Book Interface

This screen represents where the user could actually select the book of the choice, from best sellers, to technical manuals.

The interface included bookmakers, graphics, and even sound, speech and music, which was way ahead of it's time.

1990 SenSei System Used at N.Y.U.

This is the PowerNow. This is a stand alone Macintosh version of our popular SenSei Environmental Control.

PowerNow would work on any Macintosh or P.C. computer platform.

This is the first I. R. Student / Teacher classroom Communicator. Each student would receive one of these and when powered on, would require a 3 digit Personal Identification Number. The STCC would then communicate between the student and teacher.

The teacher could ask question and the student could answer immediately while the teacher's computer would instantly gather all of the individual responses fro each student.

This was also use as a method for taking tests. The teacher would ask the question, the student would punch in their response and at the end of the test, all of the test would print out. It would tabulate test scores and G.P.A's.

1992 First Modified Joystick - PuffStick - Sip/Puff Controlled Joystick

This photo is of a our PuffStick. We worked with Gravis and milled PVC plastic to accommodate our puff tube which allowed the severely disabled the ability to control any P.C. by placing their month on the PuffStick, moving the cursor as with a mouse, and simply puffing on the end of the tube to click.

The PuffStick was also modified to accommodate any number of external switchers for hand, foot, or even blink control.

This photo is of Skip. He was 15 when a newspaper delivery truck back up over skip. He was severely physically and well as cognitively disabled.

Through the use of the SenSei System, Skip was able to complete his high education and graduate.

1993 First SenSei Server Production Model - Front View

This was our best design of the SenSei Server. It had all of the capabilities of all of the previous version, would operate on any computer O. S. platform, and interface to most any electric device.

This model was our fully production version. It was the first and only production run that was produced out of house by a third party manufacturer, everything from the P.C. boards, to the final assembly.

1993 First SenSei Server Production Model - Rear View

1993 First Modified Mouse
Strap Allowed Disabled More Control

This is one of many intuitive and innovative solutions we provided to the physically and cognitively disabled clients we worked with. Our goal was always to assess what the client could do, then modify existing technology around their abilities.

By starting with existing or off-the-shelf- technology, we could reduced the cost to the disabled by reducing the R&D and manufacturing expenses.

This of course is a medical velcro strip that allowed the used hand to remain in place, over the mouse. This was particularly useful with degenerative nervous disorders such as M.S., M.D., C.P. and Lou Gehrig's.

1992 First Demonstration Unit Production Model - Front View

This was the first production version of the environmental system demonstration unit. As we opened 25 offices in the U.S. and expanded to Sweden, Norway, and England, we needed to provide complete demonstration kits.

This we manufactured by a cabinet making company based on my original design of nearly a decade earlier.

1994 Improved Modified PuffStick
Production Model

This is a photograph of the Modified PuffStick. With more than a dozen proprietary attachments, we could provide mouse control solutions to almost any disability no matter how sever.

The attachments would simply "plug" onto our milled PVC base. This was particularly important when used in a rehabilitation hospital setting where many different patients with a wide range of disabilities were using our products.

1994 Improved SenSei System O. S.
Home Office Desk Top

This was the final version of the SenSei Operating System. This artwork was drawn for us by the computer artist Aki Hirota. This O. S. represented the first fully graphic O. S.

It was important to develop this concept as by definition, the disabled had never use a P.C. before. There was never equipment that allowed them to do this.

The metaphors were simple to use, if you wanted to place a telephone call, select the phone, type a letter, select the typewriter, read a book, select the bookshelf.

1994 Improved SenSei System O. S.
Classroom Desk Top

This SenSei O. S. screen represented the SenSei's use in the classroom. In the U.S. there are millions of severely disabled children which was our goal to help.

With the SenSei System, disabled children were able to read, do lesson plans, draw and many other things that before this system, the disabled child was never able to do.

With the SenSei System, many of the physically disabled children were able to return the the "main-stream" classroom and not have to be place in the Special Ed environment that accommodated the mentally disabled child.

1994 Improved SenSei System O. S.
Hospital Room Desk Top

1994 Improved SenSei System O. S.
Business Office Desk Top

This was the Business Office screen of the SenSei Software. Our goal was always help in the client rehabilitation and get them back into school or back into the work force.

This SenSei screen worked best for the Business Office Environment.

These screens could be selected as the base O. S. by simply selecting them in our "Personality Panel" or Control Panel.

1994 PuffStick Platform
Included Sip/Puff Computer Control, Puff CPU Reset, and A Sip Water Fountain

This was the PuffStick Platform. The platform would secure to the desk or table, and hold, upright the PuffStick and an adjustable position. This would allow the mobile disabled to pull up with their electric wheelchair and begin using the SenSei System without assistance.

This photo shows the PuffStick and the Reset modification.

1994 Sip/Puff Environmental Control
Included 16 Modules, I. R. Sender, & Adjustable Gooseneck

This was a completely stand alone puff activated environmental control system.

The gooseneck while mounted on a heavy platform would give stability and flexibility to anyone wishing to control their environment. The disable operating an electric wheelchair could drive up to this system, puff and control 256 lamps and appliance without the assistance of a care provider.

This was what we called the "SlapSwitch". THis was designed to help persons with a severe lack of muscle control. The user could just wildly swing out their arm or leg, hitting the ball and triggering the internal switch, activating the environmental control

The ball or object could be changed allowing for personalizing of the system which was important when working with disabled children.

1995 Final SenSei Server - Production Model - Front View

1995 Final SenSei Server - Production Model - Rear View

1994 SenSei System Client - "Liz"

This is our most favorite client, Liz. Liz woke up one morning with a flu and muscle aches. Within 1 year she was completely paralyzed with M.S.

Liz did many television, newspaper and magazine interviews, and even was a guest at the annual Innovative Thinking Conference, and Arizona Innovation Networks Award Ceremony.

This was the SenSei Computer System being displayed and used by kids at the Arizona Science Museum display on technology.

Even non-disabled children and adults alike enjoyed using the SenSei System