Access on Main Street

Adults and elders can have a variety of priorities when selecting assistive technologies–efficiency, cost, portability, durability, etc. Kids tend to have one: whether or not the technology makes them look cooler, or at least as cool, as their peers. Take speech therapy software, which has tended to have exercises such as using specific tones to move a monkey up a tree; hokey for kids, and probably of minimal interest to most adults. How much more groovy (that word’s back in circulation, right?!) to consider use of the Scoring Karaoke Game, which allows users to pick their own songs and then score points for staying on pitch. Any speech therapists want to comment on how this could be used or modified in their practice?

OhGizmo: This Karaoke Machine Keeps Score

Kids, don’t let all the hype about being able to design your own inserts for the shell caps on the new $30 Griffin MyPhones fool you. Their real purpose is to make sure you can’t turn the volume up above 85 decibels. Apple has had a free iPod volume limiting app for some time, but we’re hoping the MyPhones will work with any device that accepts a 3.5 mm plug, and that they also get used by the over-17 set.

ipodnn: Griffin announces volume-limiting headphones for kids

Yanko Design is listing a prototype baby bottle that provides clear feedback on milk temperature: Just right, and you see an icon of a smiling green infant; too hot, and the picture turns red and bawly. Great for parents with a range of different types of disabilities; maybe a version with actual audio feedback could be developed for blind folks.

Yanko Design: Not Too Hot, Not Too Cold, Just Right

The world of RFID gets more interesting and useful with a starter kit from Tikitag.  You get 10 adhesive-backed RFID tags and a USB reader, plus kewl applications.  For instance, put a tag on a person’s photo, then swipe it over the reader to place a phone call, or visit that person’s website or YouTube videos.  Put a tag on a souvenir, and swipe it to see a photo album and narration of a favorite remembered vacation.  Put a tag on a toy and swipe it to see a cartoon of that toy’s character in action.  It’s the “Internet of Things”, with great potential for people with cognitive or sensory disabilities.  Swiping is pretty physically easy, too — no contact or specific path is required.

Latest Applications | tikitag

Since teens theoretically spend all day text messaging anyway, why not take advantage of the technology to remind them to take medications? A pilot program in Cincinnati has volunteers typing reminder messages at set times of the day–with all words spelled out so they won’t be mistaken for BAU from BFFs. Given the rise in conditions such as asthma that are affecting kids, we say :)

CNN: Texting may help teens remember meds

Designer David Chacon has come up with a small remote for controlling devices all over the house. Besides the convenience for people with mobility disabilities, we particularly like the large, intuitive iconography–no reading capability required–and the potential for creating custom icons for specific products.

Dvice: Universal remote concept reminds us of the all-in-one gadget dream

One of the problems for some would-be speech output users is that most speech output strategies require tricky or intense use of the keyboard, mouse, or both; this can be a particular problem for seniors. Some German researchers have come up with a pretty cool solution involving use of facial recognition technology: just close your eyes, and Microsoft Word reads back the “current” sentence (presumably the one where the cursor is located). Ein guter Start; we’d love to see additional features, such as the ability to blink slowly to have the speech output move to and read the next line.

ACM Digital Library: Spoken words: activating text-to-speech through eye closure (summary)