THE ICT AND THE DISABILITY: Father of autistic child creates innovative communication technology

Father of autistic child creates innovative communication technology

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

The father of a child with severe autism has developed a technology that facilitates communication with the child.

Briton Stephen Lodge, creator of the system, said to have had several years ago the idea of Speak4me, but that should wait until the technology exists to carry it out. His 11 year old son, Callum, unable to speak and now uses his father's invention to communicate.

Speak4me was presented in Naidex 2010, annual fair for disabled organized by NEC in Birmingham, United Unido.Speak4me works by moving the images from one place to another and dropping them on a touch screen, thus forming sentences.

The user then press the voice button to "verbalize" the phrase.
Speak4me Callum has been using for some time and has already achieved some very expressive phrases, Lodge said the BBC. Examples mentioned: "I want a glass of juice," "I quit" and "I'm tired."

Lodge, based in South Yorkshire, has 20 years of experience in technology and has developed Speak4me after deciding that the products did not meet market needs Callum. He financed his idea to hold their savings and mortgaged his house.

For now, Speaks4me is being marketed as an integrated hardware and software. However, the company is developing software that will allow you to work on Windows systems.

Lodge explained that the system has been well received by users and is surprising how easily that autistic children understand their operation. He added that takes half an hour, or less, We understand and use Speaks4Me (speaking for me).

Another area of application would be among survivors of cardiovascular events, a third of which lose the ability to speak temporarily or permanently.
Presentation (in English) Speaks4me: