Home Support Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) Comparison Charts

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The Flip Automatic Page Turner and the Gewa Page Turner BLV-6D are both designed to give people who are unable to turn pages in a book a way of doing this independently. This comparison aims to cover the features of the two different page turners and outline the strengths and weaknesses of each.

Each of these page turners works in a different way to achieve a similar outcome. The Gewa Page Turner has been around for over 25 years and is a reliable favourite for many people. It has a four step process which the user has to complete to turn one or more pages forwards or backwards. An experienced user is able to have complete control over whatever book they are reading, with very little error. What errors do occur are usually user correctable. The Gewa Page Turner manages a wide variety of media including looseleaf pages which have been stapled at the corner and a variety of book sizes as well as magazines. It is simple for a carer to put a book into the Gewa Page Turner and it has a wide range of controller options, including a 4 button controller, a joystick and a scanning controller.

There is very little maintenance required, although the rubber roller does need to be cleaned at regular intervals to ensure that the roller continues to be able to “grip” the pages. With the Gewa Page Turner the onus is on the end user to understand and control the four functions accurately to turn pages – and this may be too much of a cognitive or physical load for some users. For those that can manage the cognitive and physical load of the four function controllers, the Gewa is a very good option – as any of the long term users of this piece of equipment will attest.

The Flip Automatic Page Turner is a relative newcomer – it was released in 2007 and aims to make the page turning process much simpler with a one-step or two-step process. This is attractive to many people who have found the four step process of the Gewa too difficult, too time consuming or too physically demanding. The user has far less control over the page turning process, with the onus being upon the carer to set the book up correctly to get the best outcome. Without care being taken over the setup, the page turner does not function as reliably and pages can be skipped or multiple pages can be turned at once. In addition, with a thick book the Flip may require adjustments during reading to keep the reliability of page turning at an acceptable level. The first time a carer positions a book in the Flip can take some time as there are multiple guides which need to be aligned – but with practice this time can be reduced to a couple of minutes or less. One parent told me she had managed to get it down to just a few seconds! Once the book is successfully positioned in the Flip the page turning is simple.

The user has an option of one switch scanning, two switch direct selection (forwards and backwards) or using a mouthstick. There is also a continuous mode, where the Flip will turn 5 pages in a row at a set rate, which might be a good option for someone who wants to “browse” a magazine. Using the Flip, the end user can read a variety of books, although it is more successful with thinner pages and works extremely well with magazines. Again, there is very little maintenance required, although the page grabbers may require cleaning. Overall, the Flip is a great option for an end user who needs a simple access method and who has a reliable team who can learn how to put books in the Flip for maximum success.

Jane Farrall

AAC Support Services Manager / Speech Language Pathologist – Spectronics

	Flip Automatic Page Turner	Gewa Page Turner BLV-6D
Picture (Not to Scale)
Supported Book Size	Maximum: 210 × 297mm Min: 105 × 148mm	Maximum: 300m x 230mm
Book Thickness	Maximum: 30mm	Maximum: 50mm
Access Options	Single-Switch Automatic Scanning Two-Switch Direct Selection Mouthstick NB Standard 3.5mm Switch ports are in-built and included in cost of Flip and are compatible with most switches	Four Function Joystick Four pushbutton switch Four plate switch 5 slot control Four function Sip Puff switch Scanning interface – this offers Single-Switch Automatic Scanning Infrared control through a Gewa PROG NB Each of these controllers is custom built for the Gewa Page Turner and needs to be purchased separately once the best access option for the end user has been determined
Unit dimensions	600mm (W) x 480mm (H) x 280mm (D)	600mm (W) x 500mm (H) x 200mm (D)
Unit weight	8.5kg	7.5kg
In-built support leg for use on tabletop	Yes	Yes
Overbed mount available	No	Yes ($1200 AUD / $1284 NZD + GST)
Cost	N/A	GEWA Page Turner BLV-6D pricing This price does not include a controller. Controller prices vary from $225-$1000 AUD / $240-$1070 NZD + GST.

Note: Prices and specifications subject to change.