Technical support questions: 800.262.1984 / service@prc-saltillo.com
This guide applies to Empower® software version 1.27 or higher.
Essence Overview
Essence is a language system for literate individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). Following a stroke, traumatic brain injury or degenerative neurological disease such as ALS, adults may have difficulty communicating with their natural voice.
Essence offers individuals the ability to communicate at home, in the workplace or social situations, and achieve their highest level of independence and autonomy.
Essence 60/84 Layouts
The Essence vocabulary has two options: 60- and 84-buttons. Both English and Español versions are available and may be selected from the Essence vocabulary tile by going to Menu > Toolbox > Vocabulary > Select a Vocabulary > Essence.
➊ MESSAGE WINDOW: All letters, words, and messages will appear in the Message Window. You can change the appearance of the Message Window by going to Menu > Toolbox > Message Window & Multi-bar > Message Window. By default, when you select the Message Window anything that is there will be spoken.
➋ MENU: The Menu button is where you can (a) access special shortcuts called the Quick Menu, (b) switch to the Editor to make changes to your vocabulary, and (c) get into the Toolbox and control all the features of your device.
➌ PAGES:The blue buttons running along the top of the home screen are used as links to pre-stored messages. Each button will lead to a page that contains commonly used phrases or sentences. Some pages have additional buttons that link to more messages.
➍ ALARM: This red button appears at the top right of your home screen and all pages in Essence®. It takes you to a page where selecting the large red tile sets off an alarm. The gray tile will turn the alarm off and closes the page.
➎ SINGLE-HIT MESSAGES: The green buttons are used for custom messages. You can modify these to include personal, important messages that a client uses frequently. You can customize these buttons just like you would customize any other buttons – please see the device User Guide for more information.
➏ WORD PREDICTION: The yellow buttons are used to populate Word Prediction. When you type letters on the keyboard, potential words will appear. When you select a word on a Word Prediction button, the contents of the buttons will change to show the next most likely words to follow the word you have just chosen. This is called Next Word Prediction. The more you use a word, the sooner it will appear on a Word Prediction button. The system can “learn” based on your use of the vocabulary over time. You can add new words or change the Word Prediction Settings by going to Menu > Toolbox > Vocabulary > Keyboards & Word Prediction > Word Prediction.
➐ KEYBOARD: The keyboard uses a standard QWERTY layout, and the 123 & SYMBOLS button takes you to numbers and other keyboard characters. By default, the keyboard is set to speak full words that are spelled with a space at the end. You can change this setting to hear individual letters spoken as they are selected if preferred. Keyboard settings are located by going to Menu >Toolbox > Vocabulary > Keyboards & Word Prediction > Keyboard Settings.
Recommended Shortcuts for the Quick Menu
The default Quick Menu shortcuts in the Empower software can be replaced by a set of buttons that are much better suited for the Essence® vocabulary. For example, if you are using eye tracking as your primary Access Method, you may prefer to assign a “Check Positioning” short cut to your available Quick Menu options. Follow these steps to customize your choices in the Quick Menu:
Select the Menu button to open the Quick Menu editing screen, then select the Modify Shortcuts button.
Select a button on the top row followed by the “-“ in the bottom row to remove it from the Quick Menu.
Select a button in the bottom row followed by the “+” in the top row to add it to the Quick Menu.
Select a blank button on the top row followed by the button on the bottom row.
The button you select is added to the Quick Menu.
Do this until your Quick Menu shortcuts match the recommended set above.
Save a Message on a Button
If you have not already done so, add the Save Message button to your Quick Menu.
Start with a clear message window and type the message you want to save e.g. “Now that’s something you don’t see every day.”
Go to the page in the vocabulary where you want to add the message (for example, Quick Hits).
Select Menu then Save Message in the Quick Menu.
Select the button on which you want to save the message.
If the button is blank, you will get a message saying “Message Window Text: Successfully saved.”
If the button already contains a message, you get the warning “Are you sure you want to do this?” Select Okay if you want to replace the message or select Cancel.
The message is now saved on the page you chose. When you select the button, the message will appear in the message window.
Import Banked Messages
Message Banking is the process whereby an individual records many sentences that can be used at a later stage when their voice begins to fail and can no longer be used reliably. These recorded messages can be stored on a message banking site, such as messagebanking.prc-saltillo.com and downloaded as a special file called a ZIP file. This can be imported into the Essence vocabulary program using a few steps.
Go to Menu > Toolbox > System Settings.
Select Export & Import.
Select the Import tab.
Select the button labeled Choose Files next to the Import Message Banking ZIP File label.
In the window that opens, find your way to the location where your downloaded ZIP file can be found.
When you click on the file, you will see the “Importing Message Banking ZIP file…”
When you see “Import Succeeded”, all the recorded messages have been imported into the device.
You can now select the Banked button and you will see that all your messages have been assigned to pages based on how they were tagged at the message banking site.
Special Tools Buttons
Both Essence 60 & 84 offer a special tools page located under the blue Tools button at the top of your home screen. If you are using Essence 84 many tools are also located on the home screen, while on Essence 60, they are only available on the Tools page.
PLACE CURSOR: This button allows you to move your cursor anywhere within a text string in the Message Window and then select. This is useful for editing with eye or head tracking.
VOLUME: Onscreen up/down/mute tools allow a user to control their volume with any access method.
STOP SPEECH: This button cuts off any speech that is playing and is typically used when someone accidentally hits a sentence multiple times and wants to stop it from being repeated.
UNDO: This tool will quickly “undo” whatever the last action performed on the device.
PRIVACY MODE: This tool will temporarily disguise any messages from appearing in the message window. It can be easily toggled on when a user wishes to keep their message private and can be particularly useful when entering passcodes or personal information while others area nearby.
TOOLBOX: This button provides a direct link to the user’s main toolbox. This can be helpful for those who have the MENU button locked at the top of their screens.
Access Apps from Empower
Select the Apps button at the top of your home screen and you will find a page with links to the various Empower apps which include:
Alexa, Siri & Google Smart Home pages
Text Messaging
Join In® Web Apps
Accessible Web Browser
IR Remote Controls
