Boston College faculty member Bill Ames has been contributing his unique expertise in analog and digital systems to make important improvements to the EagleEyes technology. A former Hewlett-Packard engineer, Bill joined the BC faculty seven years ago and now teaches a course in Digital Systems. In recent years, Bill built a custom circuit board for the EagleEyes system that offers a number of improvements over the use of existing commercial hardware, not the least of which will allow the system to be produced at a substantial reduction in price.

Additional improvements to the system include: battery power, which eliminates the need for the system to be plugged into the wall; portability, which allows the system to be plugged into a standard USB port; and a tiny system of lights which makes for easier amplification adjustment.

The new EagleEyes system currently is being evaluated by a company in England that is interested in producing the technology on a commercial basis. At perhaps a quarter of the original price, the new circuit board will help the technology reach more users and, ultimately, help more people to communicate.

While the news of the new circuit board is good for potential users, it also underscores how much collaborative efforts within the EagleEyes Project have contributed to its success. By uniting researchers, teachers, Campus School students and BC undergraduates, EagleEyes has spawned improvements in both education and technology while simultaneously building important cross-functional relationships.