What is Semantic Compaction?

What is the difference between Semantic Compaction Systems, Prentke Romich Company, Semantic Compaction, Minspeak and Unity?

Semantic Compaction® Systems, Inc.  (SCS) is a company founded by Bruce R. Baker in 1982. 

• Semantic Compaction Systems is an intellectual property company which owns the copyrights, trademarks, and patents for the use of intellectual concepts, techniques or technology invented by or developed in collaboration with Mr. Baker.  
• Semantic Compaction Systems holds a variety of copyrights, trademarks, and numerous patents for language, language representation and command technology throughout the world. 
• Semantic Compaction Systems has the rights to protect its concepts, techniques or technology, including all copyrights, trademarks, and patents (domestic and international) for the use of sequenced multi-meaning icons.  
• Semantic Compaction Systems also has the rights to license the use of these intellectual properties.

 

Intellectual Properties owned by Semantic Compaction® Systems:

• Semantic Compaction® - Semantic Compaction® is a trademark intellectual property of Semantic Compaction Systems, the company.  Semantic Compaction® is a more technical, brand name for Baker’s invention of using multiple meaning icons as a visual language representation system, as well as other visual language processes.  The application of Semantic Compaction® brand processes may be used both in the field of disabilities and outside of the field of disabilities.

• Minspeak® – Minspeak® is the first commercial name for the process, also branded Semantic Compaction®. It is a play on words from George Orwell’s novel, 1984, where the term “Newspeak” was used. Minspeak® was used to mean “minimum effort speech.”   Minspeak® is a registered trademark of Semantic Compaction Systems in the United States and in other countries.   The application of the Minspeak® brand of visual language representation is primarily used within the field of disabilities.

• Minspeak® Application Programs - Early in the development of the Minspeak® system, the idea arose to develop Minspeak® Application Programs (MAPs).   A MAP provides a clinical application of the Minspeak® system that includes a pre-selected vocabulary encoded with the Minspeak® or Semantic Compaction® style.  The first of these English-language MAPs was branded Words Strategy®.  It was followed by Interaction, Education, and Play™ (IEP), and then Power ‘N Play™ (PNP).   In 1995, strategies for standardizing the vocabulary evolved through the development of the Unity® series of MAPs. Unity® is the name of a Minspeak Application Program widely used in English speaking countries, except for the UK.  Other English-language MAPs are available, as well as MAPs in various languages (e.g., German, Spanish, Dutch, French, Danish, Swedish, etc.). 

Semantic Compaction® Systems, Inc. owns the intellectual properties for all Minspeak® Application Programs.   Staff at Semantic Compaction® Systems, Inc. are actively involved in the world-wide development and translation of MAPs. 

 

Licensees of the Intellectual Properties of Semantic Compaction Systems

 

• Prentke Romich Company – Semantic Compaction Systems licenses the use of its intellectual properties to the Prentke Romich Company (PRC) of Wooster, Ohio, and Saltillo Corporation, of Millersburg, Ohio, USA.  PRC and their worldwide affiliates enjoy a broad, exclusive license to use the Minspeak® language representation technique in the field of AAC and disabilities.    They employ Minspeak® as the language representation method in the devices which they manufacturer and commercially market worldwide.

• Minspeak®-based Materials – Any individual, school district, university, etc.  wishing to develop and commercially distribute educational or therapeutic materials that are based on Semantic Compaction® or Minspeak® must secure from Semantic Compaction® Systems, Inc. the rights to use their intellectual property. 

• SCIconics – Semantic Compaction Systems licenses the use of its intellectual properties to SCIconics LLC (SCI) of Los Angeles, California, USA.  SCIconics has a licensee to use the Minspeak® language representation technique in markets beyond the disability field.