Our History

                  The history of the Prentke Romich Company (PRC)
                                          is the history of AAC

Prentke Romich Company (PRC)netkThe company was formed in 1966 when Barry Romich, a freshman engineering student, met Ed Prentke, an engineer at Highland View Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. The two men decided to form a partnership and the Prentke Romich Company was born. In 1969, the company produced its first communication device, a typing system based on a discarded Teletype machine.

Prentke and Romich began working with Bruce Baker in 1981. Baker introduced Minspeak, a new concept for coding vocabulary in communication devices. The first Minspeak system was introduced in 1982. The TouchTalker and LightTalker were developed in 1984 and retired more than 10 years later. The Liberator was introduced in 1991 and also retired 10 years later.

In 1995, strategies for standardizing the vocabulary evolved through the development of Unity®, a proprietary vocabulary program with spelling, word prediction, and single-meaning picture options. This program is now the foundation for vocabulary in most PRC products.

Edwin Morris Prentke, 1904 - 2007

In 2000, released Pathfinder, which featured a static keyboard plus a color dynamic display for a new generation of augmentative communication solutions. In 2001, PRC released Vantage, with a portable design. The enhanced operating system made the Vantage easy to customize and support. SpringBoard was introduced in 2002 as the most versatile and easy to implement device, featuring the same dependable operating system as the Vantage.

In 2003, the newly redesigned Vanguard II was released featuring synthesized and digitized speech, computer emulation, infrared environmental controls, and an integrated head-pointing system making the device an excellent option for children beginning with AAC and adults with acquired disabilities.

The Pathfinder, Vanguard, Vantage and SpringBoard "Plus" product upgrades, announced in 2004, added integrated head-pointing and also added many new features and vocabulary enhancements across the entire AAC product line.

In 2007, PRC introduced ECO-14 as a new generation of AAC device that combined advanced communicating and robust computing in a single device. PRC also introduced LAMP (Language Acquisition through Motor Planning) program in 2007, a training seminar on AAC strategies that promotes the development of communication for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

In 2008, the company released a lighter and more portable SpringBoard, the SpringBoard Lite.

The AAC Language Lab was introduced in 2009. A valuable resource that provides online training, language lessons, and language stage development, this valuable online resource was designed to empower the AAC communicator to develop expressive language to his or her optimum potential.

The ECO2™, PRC's AAC device and Windows® XP-based computer in one, was introduced in 2010 and features faster processing speed and more computing power for greater communication results. Also introduced in 2010, Essence™ PRO, Essence™ VG and Essence™ VT, a series of speech-generating devices designed specifically for literate adults.

Read more about Unity and our other powerful language options.