Palantype

Palantype is the short hand method of typing to aid the deaf and hard of hearing in situations such as meetings and seminars. It is a short hand code for full words typed into a specially designed computer, which is processed  and translated back into the same full words spoken in the particular situation.

These words are displayed on a screen for the hearing impaired to read so they do not feel isolated or excluded from the discussion. Palantype improves communication, allowing the hard of hearing to understand what someone is saying or what the atmosphere in the room is like in a courtroom for example.

Gonod in France invented the first Palantype machine in 1827, which used dots and dashes like Morse code. The first British machine was known as the Stenotyper, which was invented later around 1900. Finally, in 1914 a 22-key keyboard was invented for the Palantype machine in Ireland. These Palantype machines are used throughout the world and have proven a huge success in allowing the deaf and hard of hearing the feel included and understand any situation.