(Vanessa in a Zoom meeting using the Roger Pen.)

(Photo credit: Tech360 Features - Screenshot of video "Enabling Lives with Assistive Technology – Roger Pen" )

Clear sound delivered to persons who are hard-of-hearing thanks to the Roger Pen

The slim pen sits discreetly on the table, looking no different from any other stationery. But it is this Roger Pen that has given Vanessa Chea, 24, a clear track into the hearing world.

Vanessa started experiencing hearing loss as a toddler and had to rely on lip-reading and hearing aids which she found bulky and cumbersome. The final- year biological sciences student at Nanyang Technological University was introduced to the Roger Pen — an Assistive Technology (AT) device — in her first year as an undergraduate. 

The wireless system is shaped like a classy pen, and picks up sounds as far as a metre away and transmits them to the user’s hearing aid even over long distances. It is also able to recognise and automatically adapt to different situations to pick up speech from one single speaker or the conversation from multiple speakers in different directions, while reducing background interferences.

How the Roger Pen helped Vanessa at Work

Said Vanessa of the Roger Pen: “It has helped me hear and participate better in my classes so I could excel in my studies.”

“It even helped me nail my interview with my supervisor when I applied for an internship as a researcher at A*STAR’s Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology.”

The Roger Pen was particularly useful to Vanessa when the Covid-19 pandemic swept across the world and work went virtual. Her team at A*STAR began using online video conferencing platforms such as Zoom for meetings and presentations. 

With the Roger Pen connected to her computer, Vanessa could hear her colleagues clearly even when the audio quality was poor. Mask-wearing, which tends to muffle voices and made lip-reading impossible, was no problem either because the Roger Pen could deliver crisp clear speech in high audio quality. 

Thanks to the Roger Pen, Vanessa could attend and participate in a three-day scientific symposium as well because she could hear everything clearly. 

Benefits to Vanessa’s internship supervisor

Pradeep Gautam, Vanessa’s direct supervisor at A*STAR, who was previously unfamiliar with the use of AT said: “The wider adoption of AT will allow persons with disabilities to be more confident and be part of a productive workforce in Singapore.”

“I think more programmes should be brought in to educate people on what could be done to make work easier for those using Assistive Technology.”

But Mr Gautam did not simply count on AT to support Vanessa. Just like how a team prepares to welcome new members, his team had been informed in advance that Vanessa uses a cochlear implant to help her hear. He also encouraged colleagues to make some accommodations for Vanessa — such as the use of closed captions during virtual meetings on platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet to enhance her ability to capture all the information.

He added: “Slight adjustments from people in the workplace might help people with disabilities a lot. They shouldn’t consider this an inconvenience on their part.”  

The inclusive work environment allowed Vanessa to participate effectively in discussions and meetings with her team, as well as to liaise with other researchers when necessary. As a result, she was able to fulfil her potential at A*STAR while tapping on her unique skills and strengths to make the organisation more innovative. 

Said Mr Gautam: “Vanessa can do routine molecular biology experiments with minimal supervision. Besides that, she is very immaculate with her work. 

“She keeps detailed notes of experiments and observations. She would be a great asset for any team in a workplace.”

Added Vanessa: “My internship experience shows that with the support of AT, workplace accommodations and inclusive employers such as A*STAR, people with disabilities can participate and perform effectively at work.”

To learn more about AT devices, visit Tech Able at the Enabling Village. The integrated assistive technology space has various zones, including a “Work & Learn” zone that showcases a variety of AT devices. Click here for a list of AT devices by disability and device types.  

Employers can also check out the SG Enable Online HRM Guide on Assistive Technology & e-Accessibility. 

You can also watch a video of Vanessa using the Roger Pen for her studies.