Using FREEDOM with Two Switches
To select the device to which the main switch is connected, press the Scan Switch repeatedly until the
correct LED [1-4] lights, or the correct tone of beep is emitted (see above). The main switch will then
be connected directly to the selected device.
As soon as you begin using the Scan Switch, extended presses of the main switch no longer scan from
device to device. Should you wish to return to using the main switch to scan, select the appropriate
extended press time using the Mode button, according to Table 1.
Locking the Buttons
It is often the case that
FREEDOM
will be configured by an AT professional, parent or care giver and
that no further changes to the settings should be made. To prevent the user inadvertently changing
the settings, the Devices and Mode buttons may be locked, preventing further changes.
To achieve this, press and hold both the Devices and Mode buttons simultaneously for 4 seconds until
a falling beep is heard. The buttons are now locked and any attempt to change the settings will be
ignored and a falling beep will be heard. To re-enable the buttons, press and hold Devices and Mode
again for 4 seconds until a rising beep is heard. The locked condition has no effect on the Power button.
Low Battery/ Fail Safe
FREEDOM
constantly monitors the available charge in the built-in lithium battery. Once it falls to a
level where recharging is recommended, the charging LED [13] flashes and the unit emits a short beep
every four seconds. The latter allows the user to be made aware of the low battery condition even when
the unit is out of sight.
As soon as you see or hear the low battery indicator, it’s time to recharge the unit via the supplied
USB cable or auxiliary power supply. Charging from completely flat takes around 3 hours and all the
available facilities of the unit can continue to be used while charging.
Should the battery not be charged once it enters the low battery condition, the unit will eventually
shut down automatically, emitting a falling beep as it does so. As it shuts down the main switch is
connected to the fail-safe device (number 1) and will continue to operate even when there is no
charge left in the battery. You will not, however, be able to switch to devices 2, 3 or 4 until the power
is restored.
Note that the unit goes into a low-power sleep state after approximately one minute of non-use. Once
in this state the low battery LED will stop flashing and the low battery beep will no longer be emitted
as they consume the remaining power. However, the unit does continue to monitor the battery, and is
still able to fail-safe in the event that the charge in the battery becomes too low to operate fully.
Keeping the main switch pressed for longer still results in it scanning to device 4, then back to 1, 2
and so on.
Each time the unit scans to a new device the associated LED [1-4] lights and the unit emits a beep.
The tone of the beep is the same when switching from device 1
→
2, 2
→
3 or 3
→
4. A tone of a
higher frequency is used when switching from device 4
→
1 so that it is possible to determine the
device to which the unit is connected without needing to see it. This is useful both for users with visual
impairments and also for allowing the unit to be placed out of sight, for example in a wheelchair pocket.
