Innovative Ways the Autism Community Uses iPads

 

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The iPad has proven to be an especially useful communication tool for young people with autism. It provides a way to express themselves through words and images; it can be used to teach them about everyday scenarios and give them more independence. It's also far less bulky than some communication devices of the past.

Jonathan Izak's 12-year-old autistic brother inspired him to develop the AutisMate app for iPad. His brother, Oriel, is mostly nonverbal and used to struggle to communicate, sometimes throwing tantrums when he was unable to get his point across, Izak tellsMashable.

At 7 years old, Oriel had to wear a heavy communication device around his neck, which further set him apart from other children at school. Now, Oriel carries an iPad and uses the app his brother developed to communicate and learn new behaviors like how to act in specific social situations.

With AutisMate, parents or caretakers take and upload photos of their child's bedroom, the kitchen, his or her school to the app. When the app launches, the iPad's GPS will know where the user is and allows them to tap pictures of their surrounding environment. The child can tap the refrigerator, for instance, to express that he or she is hungry.

Izak says these visual tools for communication don't become a permanent crutch but rather promote speech and communication.

It's not uncommon for children with autism to be nonverbal and need the iPad to communicate. AutismSpeaks.org says it's estimated that 25% of people with autism are completely nonverbal.

Izak explains that, for someone with autism, the unknowns in life can be scary, so to prepare that person for the world, apps like AutisMate show scenes of how to do everyday things like go to a restaurant or the doctor's office.

Parents, caretakers and doctors knowearly intervention with autism is a key factor to increasing their child's likelihood of communicating, which is probably why most autism apps focus on children. iPad apps to help children with autism develop their communication skills are part of a rapidly growing market and have proved to be effective tools. Check out some of the apps we found and others recommended to us. Let us know if you know of any other useful apps for people with autism.

• 

  AutisMate

  AutisMate just released an updated version of their app which features interactive social stories that helps users improve their behavioral skills. For instance, the GPS of the iPad will determine whether the user is at school or at home. Pictures of the user's home and school should be taken and uploaded to the app, so the user can identify where they are and communicate their needs. AutisMate costs $50 on the App Store.

• 

  My PlayHome

  My PlayHome is a fun app that takes users through an interactive house and teaches language concepts, and opposites like "wet" and "dry."

• 

  My First Words

  Create flash cards to learn new words. You can even add your voice to the cards, plus each card features a large image. The app also has interactive word and picture games to help users identify objects. The app is free in the App Store.

• 

  AAC Speech Communicator

  This free Android app is specifically made for people with speech disabilities. It features pictograms that users can select to create a sentence, which the app then reads aloud with proper fluctuations and tone.

• 

  All About Me

  This is a fun, diary-like app that can be used for both typically developing children and children with developmental disabilities such as autism. The iOS app features 12 categories where they can write about who they are, what they like to do, who their friends are, etc. It costs $2.99 in the App Store.

• 

  Autism Language Learning

  This iOS app uses real-life video to teach children expressive language concepts like verbs, singular pronouns, plural pronouns and mixed pronouns. It was developed by a speech-language pathologist for children with expressive language impairments. Users can record their own voice and play it back. It costs $27 in the App Store.

• 

  Fireworks

  Izak said many children with autism are very stimulated by sights and sounds and love the interactivity of apps. Some teachers, parents and caretakers offer apps as rewards for completing assignments or other tasks. He said this Fireworks app is a big hit because you can tap the screen and watch fireworks explode. The Fireworks appfor iPhone features fireworks over a cityscape and costs .99 cents in the App Store. This free Android app is by a different developer but features the same touch-to-launch fireworks function that's so fun.

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Photo courtesy of iStockphoto,UrsaHoogle

Innovative Ways the Autism Community Uses iPads

 

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The iPad has proven to be an especially useful communication tool for young people with autism. It provides a way to express themselves through words and images; it can be used to teach them about everyday scenarios and give them more independence. It's also far less bulky than some communication devices of the past.

Jonathan Izak's 12-year-old autistic brother inspired him to develop the AutisMate app for iPad. His brother, Oriel, is mostly nonverbal and used to struggle to communicate, sometimes throwing tantrums when he was unable to get his point across, Izak tellsMashable.

At 7 years old, Oriel had to wear a heavy communication device around his neck, which further set him apart from other children at school. Now, Oriel carries an iPad and uses the app his brother developed to communicate and learn new behaviors like how to act in specific social situations.

With AutisMate, parents or caretakers take and upload photos of their child's bedroom, the kitchen, his or her school to the app. When the app launches, the iPad's GPS will know where the user is and allows them to tap pictures of their surrounding environment. The child can tap the refrigerator, for instance, to express that he or she is hungry.

Izak says these visual tools for communication don't become a permanent crutch but rather promote speech and communication.

It's not uncommon for children with autism to be nonverbal and need the iPad to communicate. AutismSpeaks.org says it's estimated that 25% of people with autism are completely nonverbal.

Izak explains that, for someone with autism, the unknowns in life can be scary, so to prepare that person for the world, apps like AutisMate show scenes of how to do everyday things like go to a restaurant or the doctor's office.

Parents, caretakers and doctors knowearly intervention with autism is a key factor to increasing their child's likelihood of communicating, which is probably why most autism apps focus on children. iPad apps to help children with autism develop their communication skills are part of a rapidly growing market and have proved to be effective tools. Check out some of the apps we found and others recommended to us. Let us know if you know of any other useful apps for people with autism.

• 

  AutisMate

  AutisMate just released an updated version of their app which features interactive social stories that helps users improve their behavioral skills. For instance, the GPS of the iPad will determine whether the user is at school or at home. Pictures of the user's home and school should be taken and uploaded to the app, so the user can identify where they are and communicate their needs. AutisMate costs $50 on the App Store.

• 

  My PlayHome

  My PlayHome is a fun app that takes users through an interactive house and teaches language concepts, and opposites like "wet" and "dry."

• 

  My First Words

  Create flash cards to learn new words. You can even add your voice to the cards, plus each card features a large image. The app also has interactive word and picture games to help users identify objects. The app is free in the App Store.

• 

  AAC Speech Communicator

  This free Android app is specifically made for people with speech disabilities. It features pictograms that users can select to create a sentence, which the app then reads aloud with proper fluctuations and tone.

• 

  All About Me

  This is a fun, diary-like app that can be used for both typically developing children and children with developmental disabilities such as autism. The iOS app features 12 categories where they can write about who they are, what they like to do, who their friends are, etc. It costs $2.99 in the App Store.

• 

  Autism Language Learning

  This iOS app uses real-life video to teach children expressive language concepts like verbs, singular pronouns, plural pronouns and mixed pronouns. It was developed by a speech-language pathologist for children with expressive language impairments. Users can record their own voice and play it back. It costs $27 in the App Store.

• 

  Fireworks

  Izak said many children with autism are very stimulated by sights and sounds and love the interactivity of apps. Some teachers, parents and caretakers offer apps as rewards for completing assignments or other tasks. He said this Fireworks app is a big hit because you can tap the screen and watch fireworks explode. The Fireworks appfor iPhone features fireworks over a cityscape and costs .99 cents in the App Store. This free Android app is by a different developer but features the same touch-to-launch fireworks function that's so fun.

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Photo courtesy of iStockphoto,UrsaHoogle

10 Tech Resources for the Autism Community

 

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• Talking Tom Cat

  Tom is a talking cat who responds to touch and repeats everything users say in a funny voice.

  For World Autism Awareness Day, users can download a free "Autism Speaks" blue hat and shirt for the character. Physical T-shirts are also available from their global webstore.

• 

  Proloquo2Go

  For those who have difficulty speaking or cannot speak at all, Proloquo2Go is a go-to app with natural sounding text-to-speech voices.

  The app for iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad costs $189.99 and users can type on screen or press symbols to generate words and sentences.

• 

  Emma’s Hope Book -- Ariane Zurcher

  Named number one on ShareCare's Top 10 Social HealthMakers in Autism, Ariane Zurcher is an author, jewelry designer andHuffington Post contributor who documents her daughter’s journey with autism.

  Check out her blog, Emma's Hope Book.

• 

  Toca House

  To help kids learn how to do chores, Toca House takes users through a household with five friends and 19 different mini-games.

  The game, which costs $2.99, is free on April 2.

• 

  Stories2Learn

  Stories2Learn is useful for students with autism or Asperger's syndrom. By creating personalized stories that demonstrate visual cues, the app helps teach social messages.

  Users can add their own audio and dialogue for each photo.

• 

  Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism

  As writer and editor of Thinking Person's Guide to Autism, Shannon Des Roches Rosa gives an online platform for people with autism, professionals and parents to share their experiences.

  The site accepts submissions and also provides resources for autism news.

• 

  Verbally

  Verbally is another Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) app for the iPad. Users can tap on words to have the device speak and help carry on a conversation.

• 

  Social Skills

  Parents and educators can use six social narratives designed to help individuals improve their social ability.

  The stories target key areas such as attention, non-verbal communication, greetings and turn taking. Users can also modify narratives by adding different photos, text and audio.

• 

  Autism College

  After her son Jeremy, who has an autism spectrum disorder, graduated high school and entered college, Chantal Sicile-Kira founded the Autism College blog to educate others about the disorder and give parenting tips.

  The site offers interactive courses for parents new to the world of autism as well as for parents and educators of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. It also offers lectures and parent coaching.

• 

  Draw and Tell

  Draw and Tell is a program with narration that allows children to color, add stickers, and incorporate their own voice recordings into their stories.

  Children with autism will be able to communicate through art and stories.

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BY CAMILLE BAUTISTAAPR 02, 2013

April 2 marks World Autism Awareness Day, continuing into Autism Awareness Month. Research shows that early intervention and technologies can significantly help children with autism, helping to enhance communication and social skills.

iPads are essential tools for such therapy with apps and online resources encouraging independence, allowing kids to express their desires and better connect with others. One in 50 school-aged children in the U.S. are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, a 72% increase from 2007, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

iOS devices and other digital tools have significantly impacted developmental interactions in children with autism, says Joanne Lara, founder and president of Autism Movement Therapy. Most kids are automatically drawn to the computer, but those with autism often take to the devices because of the focus provided — they may not be as confused by where to look, as compared with other environments.

"Children with autism can communicate in amazing ways through iPads, they say amazing things that otherwise we'd have no way of knowing their thought process," Lara tells Mashable. "It gives those with limited communication skills a platform to let us know not just his wants and needs, but who he is."

Augmentative and Alternative Communication apps like Proloquo2Golet users tap symbols or icons to produce speech. Others, like Social Skills, help children learn to express emotions and understand what others are feeling.

Personalized tools aren't the only valuable resources. In time for World Autism Awareness Day, interactive Q&A platform ShareCare released its top 10 autism bloggers who lead online conversations with shared advice, tips and and support for the disorder.

We've gathered recommended apps and resources for Autism Awareness Month. Check out the gallery above and let us know if you know of any other useful apps or tools.

Image courtesy of Flickr, 

5 Autism Simulations to Help You Experience Sensory Overload

 

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In this May 16, 2013 photo, Cristian Vazquez covers his ears during class at the Dora Alonso school in Havana, Cuba. Six-year-old Vazquez was diagnosed with autism in 2008 and began attending this special school that caters to the education of children with autism.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) describes a complex group of brain development disorders characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication and behavior. Often diagnosed at a young age, approximately one in 68 American children is on the autism spectrum. It's a figure 10 times higher than 40 years ago, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Because ASD can vary widely, it's frequently misunderstood, and attitudes toward autism can be misguided. In addition to the many resources geared toward neurotypical people, such associal networks for parents and organizations like Autism Speaks, many autistic individuals and even game developers have created virtual simulations that render common experiences for people with autism — hypersensitivity to sights and sounds among them.

"Increased sensitivity and decreased sensitivity both are common in ASD," Dr. Paul Wang, head of medical research at Autism Speaks, tells Mashable. "In fact, one of the changes in the DSM-5 criteria for ASD is recognition of these issues as a core part of autism."

Wang says these sensory challenges can be very impairing, turning a normally comfortable environment into a struggle for individuals with ASD. The severity of discomfort can range widely: Anything from the cuffs of one's short-sleeve shirt to loud noises to perceptions many of us experience without thinking twice can cause distress.

"It is hard to appreciate what it is like to be in the shoes of someone with ASD," Wang says. "To the extent that these simulations can illustrate how noxious sensory stimulation can be for individuals with ASD, they may help the general population to better understand the difficulty of living with ASD."

Noted autism activist and animal science expert Temple Grandin famously said, "I am different, not less." During Autism Awareness Month, the following simulations help to further that understanding.

Note: Those with epilepsy or who are prone to seizures should not watch these videos. Viewers should also be prepared for increased volumes, which are intended to simulate the intense auditory stimulation associated with ASD.

• 1. Playground

  During Vancouver's Hacking Health weekend hackathon in 2013, Taylan Kadayifcioglu and his team created Auti-sim, an unsettling first-person game that allows the player to experience hypersensitivity. Auti-sim features layered, deafening shrieks from faceless children and fuzzy visuals, causing the player to retreat in order to see and hear clearly.

  Kadayifcioglu was inspired by other sensory simulations he found on YouTube.

  VIDEO: YOUTUBE, 

• 2. Watching a Movie

  YouTube user WeirdGirlCyndi, an autistic adult who was "sick of so-called 'experts' trying to explain what they think an autistic person is going through," created this simulation in order to set the record straight.

  She takes a scene from 1986'sTransformers and distorts the sound and picture to simulate sensory overload. "Eventually I won't be able to process the movie at all," she writes in the video. "I'll see it, but I won't remember it."

  VIDEO: YOUTUBE, 

• 3. Shopping at Walmart

  This simulation is an excerpt from the user's 56-minute documentary, Inside Autism. She takes the viewer on a trip to Walmart, and simulates sensory overload on what she calls a "bad day." The camera becomes pixelated and the noise level increases drastically.

  VIDEO: YOUTUBE, 

• 4. Walking Down the Street

  In this simulation, you'll see the contrast between walking on a sidewalk as a neurotypical person and as an autistic person. Similar to the previous video, sounds become amplified and jumbled, while the lighting gets much brighter.

  VIDEO: YOUTUBE, 

• 5. Sitting in a Coffee Shop

  This video is based on an excerpt fromCarly's Voice: Breaking Through Autism, written by a 17-year-old girl living with non-verbal autism. The simulation shows how even getting a cup of coffee with family can be difficult and anxiety-producing.

  VIDEO: YOUTUBE, 

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HTC targets fitness fanatics with its first wearable, the HTC Re Grip

 

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The HTC Re Grip is the company's first wearable: a smart band aimed at runners and gym-goers.

You can't throw a smartphone in a Best Buy without establishing a Bluetooth connection with some kind of fitness tracker, so when HTC decided to enter the wearables market, it wanted to be sure it stood out. The result: The HTC Re Grip, a smart band aimed at runners and gym-goers.

The band is one part fitness tracker, one part GPS band and one part smartwatch. It resembles a Nike+ FuelBand, with a similar low-res display built into the band. But the Grip is larger, more ruggedized and actually more comfortable.

I only wore the Re Grip for a few minutes, and not continuously as I exercised (as it's intended), but I preferred it to the FuelBand's more rigid exterior, and was able to type while wearing the HTC wearable with no problems.

The neon yellow color on the inside of the band is a dead giveaway that the the Grip is a sports tracker, and the device is equipped with sensors to measure your movements for various activities (running, cycling, etc.). Importantly, it has built-in GPS so it can track your location when your smartphone isn't close by — runners especially will find that feature useful.

Of course, any tracking wearable needs an accompanying app, and HTC decided not to start from scratch and instead partnered with Under Armour to take advantage of its platform, a partnershipannounced back in January. The UA Record app is on iOS, Android and the web, although it isn't integrated with Apple Health or Google Fit... at least not yet.

The HTC Re Grip works with the UA Record app, made by Under Armour, on iOS and Android.

IMAGE: UNDER ARMOUR

HTC opted not to include a heart-rate monitor on the Re Grip for a simple reason: The company doesn't think wrist monitors are very accurate. For the sports enthusiast, that accuracy is important, and HTC recommends third-party chest straps.

HTC emphasizes that the Grip is intended to be a powerful and durable tracker even when your phone is nowhere near it, boasting 2.5 days of battery life when GPS is turned off, and 5 hours when it's on. Even though the band doesn't need your smartphone, it's even more useful when it's close, displaying call and text notifications on the 1.8-inch PMOLED screen as they come in.

The HTC Re Grip comes in three sizes to accommodate all kinds of wrists.

IMAGE: MASHABLE, WILLIAM SANDS

Of course the band is waterproof with anIP57 rating, meaning it can be immersed in 3 feet of water for up to 30 minutes. It's available in three sizes to accommodate a variety of wrists.

The Re Grip is the second product to fall under the Re sub-brand, which is a key focus for the company as it looks to finally stop struggling and fully break out of its niche. HTC strongly hints that several more Re products are in the pipeline, and the Re Camera may get a rebrand at some point so its name is less functional.

As for the Re Grip, it looks and feels like a strong first step into the wearables market, although by picking the most conventional of products (a tracking band) it's still a baby step. We look forward to the ecosystem growing.

BONUS: HTC's new flagship smartphone, the HTC One M9

Hands on with the HTC One M9

OPEN GALLERY

The new One

The HTC One M9 has a similar design to last year's HTC One M8, although there are slight differences in the contours and buttons. The biggest change, however, is the camera: HTC ditched its "ultrapixel" camera in the rear imager, replacing it with a more conventional 20-megapixel shooter.

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