Voz Box Gives a Voice to the Voiceless

Voz Box Gives a Voice to the Voiceless Voz Box Gives a Voice to the Voiceless Voz Box Gives a Voice to the VoicelessOnce a high school exchange student in Ecuador, Mary Elizabeth McCulloch saw firsthand how those without the ability to speak were robbed of sharing their wit with so many.People often have misconceptions when it comes to people who cant speak, she says. Many assume that there is a cognitive deficit. For example, with cerebal palsy, it has more to do with motor coordination and leid so much cognitive deficit.When McCulloch welches only an undergraduate student at Penn State University, she began working to make Voz Box a viable product.Three components are involved.The receptor, the microprocessor we created, and then it can be interchanged by a screen, she says.The microprocessor is a type of mega 2560, a board they laid out after two revisions, she says. There are also over 10 sensors. McCulloch explains that people could use sensors in a way that worked for their abi lities, whether it welches operating the sensors with their feet, elbows, or in wearable gloves that would have sensors installed to be used with the hand or a finger. Ear pieces allow for privacy when using.Inside the Voz Box. Image Project ViveRoughly 80 percent of what we say is repeatable, she explains, so you dont need the whole dictionary to have a working vocabulary from a device. You can have voice donation where someone does words and sounds for someone and focuses on whats in this repeatable group, she says.One improvement made to the device was through simplification.As much as you can alpha test, we created a wearable insert for a person for their shoewireless and super snazzy, McCulloch says. But they didnt like it and it shows an over-designing problem. Another had a problem with a calibration part. Shes tech savvy but her family isnt. We augmented it to where you only press one button.McCulloch, who graduated with a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering from Penn State in 2016, says $500 is the price she wants the device to cost, noting that some devices can cost up to five figures.To this point, about 40 people have tested it out, she says. Were gearing up to do study with a medical center to look at aspects like accuracy.Using a personal speech assistant invented and developed by Mary Elizabeth McCulloch (right), Arlyn Edelstein (left) was able to read her original poetry. Image Project ViveEarly BeliefBut, at such a young age, where did the confidence to embark on this project come from? Momentum.Youre taught that you will make mistakes as an entrepreneur, she says. Keep moving. Keep getting things done. Its about giving voice to the voiceless. Cold calling as a sophomore and junior in college, you can be nervous. But its about doing it day in and day out, getting through. There were times when I was getting shot down at conferences and people telling you that you dont know what youre doing and to get a real job. But you have to keep goi ng.She also credits being discovered by the small business development center at the school and her dad, who is an engineer, giving her confidence.I think I was also driven by just a love of working to help people, she says. Dont sit and be stagnant. Give it a shot. At the worst, you fail early and then try something else.Eric Butterman is an independent writer. For Further DiscussionYoure taught that you will make mistakes as an entrepreneur. Keep moving. Keep getting things done.Mary Elizabeth McCulloch, Entrepreneur

A Law Firms Guide to Navigating Call-Back Logistics

A Law Firms Guide to Navigating Call-Back LogisticsA Law Firms Guide to Navigating Call-Back LogisticsBy Jenny Connelly, National Legal Recruiting Director, and Kelly Morgan,Legal Recruiting ManagerCongrats You have made it through the on-campus vorstellungsgesprch (OCI) process and are now receiving call-back invitations. As if OCI wasnt tough enough, call-back interviews can raise a lot of tough questions about proper protocol. Below are some insights and tips regarding the process and expectations from a firms perspective. And rest assured, Legal Recruiting is here to assist you throughoutPick A Firm, Any FirmFirst and forefruchtwein, if you are interviewing with multiple firms in a particular city, choose one to be your host. This firm will incur the costs of your flight, hotel, and related expenses such as meals while you are in town for your interviews. Try to visit each city in one trip, even if that means revising travel plans this will still be the most cost-effective approa ch, but it will also be easier on you than making multiple trips. Reach out to your Legal Recruiting contacts at your host firm in each city to discuss best practices for your interviews. Each firm has its own protocols, so make sure you understand their processes and guidelines before making your arrangements. Start filling out the National Association for Law Placement (NALP) reimbursement form as you make your arrangements you will need to submit this form after your call-back trip, and, if you fill it out as you connect with the Legal Recruiting teams and book your trips, youll have less information to compile later. The form requests contact information for each firm you visit, so be sure to obtain the name and email address of the team member who handles the reimbursements at each.So Whats Reimbursable?The big question here is What, exactly, is reimbursable from a call-back trip? Some of you have worked in different fields before law school and have become accustomed to partic ular reimbursement policies, and law firms generally say that theyll cover reasonable expenses, which can understandably leave candidates confused. So, what constitutes a reasonable expense by law firm standards? Well, a meal that you would be willing to pay for cabs/Ubers you took to and from interviews parking internet at the hotel, if that was an extra expense Wi-Fi on the plane, and most baggage fees to name a few. Expenses that are generally not reimbursed include dry cleaning in-room movies alcoholic drinks not associated with a meal, and very expensive meals, particularly if it is obvious someone else was with you, and yet you are asking for full reimbursement of the bill. Dont send your host firm every expense you incurred, assuming that the Legal Recruiting team will filter out the non-reimbursable expenses - that isnt how it works, and seeking reimbursement for excessive expenses can reflect poorly on your judgment. A good rule of thumb if you hesitate to submit a receipt, you probably shouldnt. However, you are welcome to reach out to Legal Recruiting or your career services office for guidance.Getting ReimbursedAfter your call-backs are complete, send the NALP reimbursement form and all of your itemized receipts (so, please keep them) to the host firm, which will then issue you a check covering any expenses they did not cover up front. List all the firms you visited along with the Legal Recruiting contacts during your trip and include all expenses, even those the host firm already paid. Scan all receipts and the NALP expense form into a PDF and email it to the host firm (as opposed to sending it by snail mail), so youre reimbursed as quickly as possible. The host firms Legal Recruiting team will seek reimbursement from the other firms with whom you interviewed on your trip, so that each firm will equally contribute equally to the full cost. You dont need to try to divide the costs yourself just send everything along to your host firm, and well take it from thereCommunication Is Key Respond to call-back invitations in a timely manner. Barring extenuating circumstances, we expect that youll respond to any messages from the firm within 24 hours. For those fortunate enough to receive a lot of call-back invitations, make it a priority to respond to each firm offering you the opportunity. Even if you havent yet decided whether or not to accept the call-back, let the firm know you have received the invitation and will get back to them as soon as you can. If youre declining an invitation, or just not ready to schedule a call-back with a firm, be upfront. The firm will appreciate your honesty and professionalism. Please note that there is nothing wrong with cancelling or rescheduling a callback. We recognize that things can change quickly during the call-back process. If you know you wouldnt accept an offer with the firm, you dont have go through with the interview, even if it is the next day this will free up the lawyers who were goi ng to interview you to spend time with another candidate or on client matters. If you do cancel or reschedule, follow up with your host firm about cancelling or revising your travel plans, as well.Keep us informed about your plans and status throughout. If your flight is delayed, your power went out and your alarm clock failed, or a family emergency arises, we are here to help Legal Recruiting regularly receives calls about issues that are out of your control, and we want to make this busy time easier for you. We know travel plans have a way of complicating things, so keep us posted and we can help you make the most of your trip.Finally, as you receive offers, keep in touch during the 28-day decision period. Let us know what additional information would help you decide among your offers. If you want to speak to more associates, partners, diverse lawyers, lawyers in particular practice areas, lawyers whove clerked, lawyers with young children, lawyers who are veterans, lawyers who ha ve worked at other firms where youre considering offers - we want you to be as informed as you need to be in order to feel confident about your ultimate decision. And when you decide to accept an offer, dont ghost on the other firms the legal community is small, and your professionalism at this stage can leave doors open down the road. Take the time to call the firms youre declining and be willing to have a conversation with them about your decision.Wishing you luck this recruiting seasonThis is a sponsored blog post fromSidley Austin LLP. You can view Sidleys Vault profilehere.Follow Vault Law on TwitterVaultLawand follow Vault on InstagramVaultCareersandFacebook

This is how to give equal credit to both parents for your success

This is how to give equal credit to both parents for your successThis is how to give equal credit to both parents for your successWhen people ask how you got to be who you are, they may ask about your parents for clues. You want to make sure they have the right story of your success. John David Washington, the son of famous parents Denzel and Pauletta Washington, recently gave a master class on how to give credit wherbeie credit is due if your mothers contributions get overshadowed by your famous actor father.In a recent Today show bewerberinterview promoting his new movie Black KkKlansmen, Washington interrupted Today weekend co-host Craig Melvin after he asked about getting started in this business being the son of Denzel Washington with a firm And Pauletta Washington.Washington continued Pauletta Washington - who was earning more money than he was when they married. Before they got married, she was on Broadway working, Washington said as he continued to reframe the narrative of h is familys legacy. She paid for the first date. She paid the bill, paid the cab ride. A classically trained pianist, she went to Juilliard. Shes a great artist in her own right and I learned a lot from her. My father taught me how to hunt, my mother taught me how to love.Washingtons praise of his mothers accomplishments and her financial support put the spotlight back on his mother. He models good credit behavior by publicly amplifying his mothers accomplishments, he makes sure that we recognize her, so that his early success cannot be wholly attributed to his fathers privileges.Why women more likely to get overlooked for creditWashingtons message resonated with other famous women. Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer tweeted that, This just made me cry like a babyhonor thy father AND thy mother. Tina Lawson Knowles agreed I love how John David reps hard for his mom Just warms my heart. Pauletta is an exceptional entertainer, wife, and mother.They recognized what gender bias resear ch has proven too often, womens achievements do not get recognized. Men are more likely to get credited in group projects. One2015 Harvardstudy found that women economists do not get credit for their work when they coauthor publications with men. Men are also more likely to get recognized when they speak up in meetings, while women expressing the same idea do not get the same credit, one 2017 study found.To stop this cycle of credit-stealing, it takes interrupting and speaking up in behalf of the women in your life and your workplace, so that people know where the ideas for your success came from.