More Details

Who may benefit from the Zavox Reo?
There are two main vocal scenarios which may benefit from amplification:

1. The volume of speech is too low to be functional
* The volume of speech may be reduced by conditions such as Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neurone Disease or other neurogenic disorders. Paraplegia and quadriplegia may be associated with low volume speech due to respiratory difficulties. The vocal structure may be affected by surgery or trauma. There are a range of causes for low volume speech, but as long as outgoing breath is possible the softest whisper can be amplified.

2. Normal voice use is taxing causing fatigue, strain etc
* Extended periods of talking, or raising the voice or improper use of the voice may cause vocal fatigue, strain or other voice problems. Class-room teachers, presenters, instructors and others speaking to groups may find the Zavox Reo useful. Adults or children with voice disorders may benefit from amplification. Amplification may assist to prevent fatigue or strain or may act in a compensatory measure.

Portability
* The Reo can be worn on the body in several ways. It is supplied with a durable, fine black leather pouch and a webbed waist strap and leather neck/shoulder strap. All buttons and ports can be accessed through the pouch, and the status LED is visible.

Power
* Battery: 3.7 volt, 950 mAH Lithium Ion
* The internal rechargeable batteries are charged by the plug pack charger supplied. A full charge delivers five hours of continuous voice output.
* The Reo switches to standby mode when not in use to conserve power.
* The status LED flashes GREEN to indicate that the battery requires charging. The LED flashes RED during charging and stops flashing when fully charged. A full charge takes four hours.

Operation
* Position the amplifier on the body in the carry bag. Connect the microphone and position the boom just below the bottom lip. Easy access, yellow push-buttons are used for ON/OFF and volume control. When turned ON a triple beep sounds and the status LED is GREEN. The unit resets to zero volume when turned OFF to prevent potential feedback when next turned ON. The volume UP button is pressed to the desired amplification level while speaking through the connected microphone.

Microphones
Unilateral Ear Microphone
* The ZX-61 unilateral ear microphone is discreet and skin coloured (beige). It loops over the ear and can be adjusted with the flexible ear piece. It can be worn on the left or right ear and it compatible with spectacles.

Headset Microphone
* The best amplification results are achieved with this microphone positioned close to the mouth. The 10 cm gooseneck enables accurate positioning. The headband is worn at the back of the head and over the ears, and sits comfortably even with head movement.

Throat microphone
* This is a 'contact' microphone or ' transdermal' microphone that uses a method of induction that picks up voice signals through vibrations in the neck. The result is clear communication without any background noise from the environment, although bodily noises, such as swallowing may also be amplified. This microphone has dual transponders for increased clarity.

Lapel/ hand held microphone
* This is a small microphone with clip designed to be worn on clothing. However the supplier states that it is not close enough to the mouth when positioned on clothing, so is rendered ineffective. The microphone needs to be 1 to 3 cm from the mouth to be effective. The windsock adds to the apparent size of the microphone, but the actual microphone measures approximately 10mm in diameter.

Alarm
* To call for attention, hold down the volume UP or DOWN buttons for two seconds. To turn OFF hold down either button again for two seconds.

How to buy
* The Zavox Reo amplifier is supplied with a choice of microphones.
When working out the pricing, choose your microphone and add the price of the base unit to the microphone.
* An assessment kit is available which includes all microphone options.

Support
* General guidelines for Voice Amplifier set-up are available as a PDF download from the suppliers website.

Place Of Manufacture

Zabonne (New Zealand)

Models

Zavox REO voice amplifier with pouch, carry straps, charger, in-built personal alarm and 1 year warranty (microphone not included; please add your microphone of choice) ZV-REO

Microphones
* Unilateral earpiece microphone; beige; for LEFT ear positioning. ZV-REO-MIC

* Headset microphone - deluxe, black TCL-VAMP-H/SET-AVI

* Lapel microphone - VOC030

* Throat microphone; dual sensor transdermal TCL-VAMP-T/MIC

Assessment kit
Zavox Reo speech amplifier assessment kit. Zavox Reo amplifier with unilateral earpiece microphone, transdermal/throat microphone, headset microphone, lapel microphone, charger, carry pouch and straps, one year warranty.
ZV-REO-Ax

Options

* Unilateral earpiece microphone
* Headset microphone
* Lapel microphone
* Throat microphone

Standards

Standards
Some assistive technology needs to meet Australian or other standards. Standards may relate to materials, manufacturing and installation. Products that meet Australian or international standards will have written certification. To find out if a product meets Australian Standards ask the supplier to show you the certificate. For more information about standards also see
http://at-aust.org/home/assistive_technology/standards.html

TGA
Many of the items on the Assistive Technology Australia website are categorised as a Medical Device. Medical devices that are approved for use in Australia have been entered into a national database called the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG), which is maintained by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). You can ask the supplier for the ARTG number for the device you wish to purchase and search the ARTG for the entry. To access information on the ARTG visit www.tga.gov.au

When buying a medical device it is advisable to only choose a medical device that is recommended by a healthcare professional and has been included on the ARTG.