Author: Call Scotland

This 'wheel' of AAC Apps by Sally Millar and Gillian McNeill of CALL Scotland, provides a categorised guide to iPad Apps for people with complex communication support needs, who may need to use some form(s) of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).

There are many hundreds of communication apps and deciding how to categorise them - never mind identifying the best fit to meet the needs of an individual user - is complicated. We define some Apps (from 12 o'clock round to 6) as potential full 'expressive' communication systems. Whether text and/or symbol based, these tend to be highly featured, and as a defining feature, include text to speech, a built-in symbol library, at least one or two sample pre-stored user vocabulary sets, and an onscreen message bar to allow for sentence/message building.

Other Apps (from 6 o'clock round to 9) are classed as more 'simple' forms of communication. These may provide basic, functional ways of expressing needs and making choices, or for recording news or stories. They contain limited, if any, starter content and will be customised for the user from 'bottom-up' using familiar photos and pictures, and recorded messages. Others may use the iPad to mirror and add speech output to particular low tech communication approaches such as PECS. Finally, many are useful for building basic vocabulary and language skills, receptively as much as expressively.

Users may use a 'set' of various Apps from different categories at different times - there is no single 'best' App.

Most Apps are controlled by direct touch, and many (but not all), will run under switch control within iOS 7 (onwards) Accessibility settings. A few were specifically designed for switch access and these are marked in this wheel with small red 's' (beside App icon).

The CALL Scotland AAC Apps wheel does not include every App available in each category. It shows Apps that CALL finds useful: reliable, relatively straightforward to use; reasonable/good value for money; and / or that stand out in their category for some reason.

The AAC Apps wheel was originally published as an A3 poster, but works equally well (only smaller!) as an A4 leaflet. The App names on the electronic version are 'clickable' links, taking you directly to more information about the individual App on the UK iTunes site.

iPad Apps for Complex Communication Support Needs was last updated in June 2015

Revision changes

June 2016

Apps removed - AAC Ferret, EasySpeak HD, Autismate 365, Answers Yes/No, AAC 123

Apps added - Tools 2 Talk+, Totaltalk AAC, CoughDrop, AAC Speak, Snap Scene, iSpeak Button Series, Board Communicator, Early Language Screening Tool Bundle

January 2016

Tools 2 Talk is no longer available to purchase and has been removed from the wheel. We have added an 's' to Pictello, as switches can be configured for playing a story.

May 2015

There has been no change to the App categories, only to the Apps listed. The number of Apps has increased to 77, which includes Tool 2 Talk, a resource for creating and printing symbolised communication resources, detailed separately given the App type.

Category: Communication Mobile Technologies Smart AT General

Added by Elizabeth Dodd · 7 years ago

Author: CCSATC & Simavita

Published By: CCSATC 

Published On: 17 March 2016

In this webinar, Leonie Mulheran from Simavita will discuss the prevalence of incontinence and importance of management in both the younger and the aged population and gender specific issues. Importantly, Leonie will discuss the role that Smart Assistive Technology could play for the Service Provider & the Consumer as well as economic impact and future possibilities. 

This webinar can be accessed by following the link below:

Smart Assistive Technology Driving Changes in Management of Continence

Category: Domestic Assistance Future Trends & Possibilies Local Perspectives Mobile Technologies Quality & Standards Smart AT General Smart Homes & Environmental Controls

Added by Lisa Kelly · 8 years ago

Author: Superflux, Jon Ardem, Alexandra Fruhstorfer, Jon Flint 

Published By: Vimeo

Published: 2015 

"Uninvited Guests is a short film that explores the frictions between an elderly man and his smart home.  Thomas, aged 70, lives on his own after his wife died last year. His children send him smart devices to track and monitor his diet, health and sleep from a distance. But Thomas has always been fiercely independent, happy to live in an organised mess. He struggles with the order and rules imposed on him by the objects that are meant to make his life easier. In a world where ’smart objects’ will increasingly be used to provide care at a distance, how will we live with these uninvited guests? This film was created by Superflux Lab for the ThingTank project."

For further information visit: http://www.superflux.in/work/uninvited-guests

Watch at: https://vimeo.com/128873380

Category: Domestic Assistance Future Trends & Possibilies Local Perspectives Mobile Technologies Robotics Smart Homes & Environmental Controls

Added by Lisa Kelly · 8 years ago

Author/s: Jan Jasiewicz, PhD; William Kearns, PhD;  Jeffrey Craighead, PhD; James L. Fozard, PhD; Steven Scott, DO; Jay McCarthy Jr, PT, MS

Published By: JRRD, Volume 48, Number 8

Published On: 2011

In this editorial, JRRD report on the development of a smart-home–based cognitive prosthetic that will deliver 24/7 rehabilitation at the James A.Haley Veterans’ Hospital Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Program (PTRP) facility in Tampa, Florida. The Tampa Smart Home was designed to address two weaknesses identified by PTRP clinicians in the rehabilitation process for patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI): (1) patient safety and (2) inadequate timing and repetition of prompts used to overcome TBI related cognitive and memory deficits.

Category: Domestic Assistance International Perspectives Mobile Technologies Smart Homes & Environmental Controls

Added by Ash-Lee Hall · 8 years ago

Author/s: William Kearns, PhD; Jan M. Jasiewicz, PhD; James L. Fozard, PhD; Paul Webster, PhD; Steven Scott, DO; Jeffrey Craighead, PhD; Mary E. Bowen, PhD; Joseph McCarthy, PT, MS

Published By: JRRD, Volume 50, Number 10

Published On: 2013

 In this editorial, JRRD report on the development of a smartwatch designed to enhance the Smart Home at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital in Tampa, a project that uses advanced tracking technology to help Veteran patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) independently plan, organize, and complete everyday activities [1]. The literature is replete with examples of proposed technologies designed to influence or control behavior, the most recent incarnation being "persuasive technologies".

Category: Mobile Technologies Smart Homes & Environmental Controls

Added by Ash-Lee Hall · 8 years ago

Presented by: Sander van Berlo, Director at Onmi B.V., the Netherlands

Recorded On: 2 October 2015

This webinar was specifically held and recorded for the Community Care Smart Assistive Technology Collaborative Platform.  Introduced by Eleanor Horton,  Expert Reference Group member and Senior Lecturer in Nursing at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Category: Connected Health International Perspectives Mobile Technologies Research Videos

Added by Ash-Lee Hall · 8 years ago

Presented by: Sander van Berlo, Director at Onmi B.V., the Netherlands

Recorded On: 2 October 2015

This webinar was specifically held and recorded for the Community Care Smart Assistive Technology Collaborative Platform.  Introduced by Eleanor Horton,  Expert Reference Group member and Senior Lecturer in Nursing at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Category: Connected Health International Perspectives Mobile Technologies Research Videos

Added by Ash-Lee Hall · 8 years ago

UTARI collaborated with H-E-B and Operation Finally Home to provide technology and research integration of automated and robotic devices in home settings.  In 2014, we supported the development of two (2) Smart Homes to benefit wounded warriors. Read more about the HEB Project here.

https://youtu.be/LHLK62FL-VQ

This video features Mike McNair 

Mike McNair is the Automation and Intelligent Systems Director at The University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute (UTARI).  He joined the Research Institute in October 2013 initially overseeing the research in Unmanned Systems and Assistive Technologies; his responsibilities were later expanded to include oversight in Advanced Manufacturing and Sensor Development.

McNair received a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from Texas A&M University in 1982.  He later received a Master’s degree in Systems Engineering from The George Washington University in 2013.  He also holds an active membership with the Program Management Institute (PMI) with a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.  His direct unmanned systems experience includes the dual roles of Chief Architect and Chief Software Engineer on a large UGV and UAV System of Systems effort from the U.S. Army.  Included in his background is engineering and project leadership across multiple engineering and application domains.  McNair has authored or coauthored multiple journal and conference publications, is a current member of the SAE AS-4 (JAUS) standards group and has presented at several industry conferences and symposiums.

Category: Connected Health Mobile Technologies Robotics Smart Homes & Environmental Controls Videos

Added by Elizabeth Dodd · 8 years ago

Authors: Huiru Zheng, Chris Nugent, Paul McCullagh, Yan Huang, Shumei Zhang, William Burns, Richard Davies, Norman Black,

Peter Wright, Sue Mawson, Christopher Eccleston, Mark Hawley and Gail Mountain

Published by:Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare

Year of publication: 2010

We have developed a personalised self management system to support self management of chronic conditions with support from health-care professionals. Accelerometers are used to measure gross levels of activity, for example walking around the house, and used to infer higher level activity states, such as standing, sitting and lying. A smart phone containing an accelerometer and a global positioning system (GPS) module can be used to monitor outdoor activity, providing both activity and location based information. Heart rate, blood pressure and weight are recorded and input to the system by the user. A decision support system (DSS) detects abnormal activity and distinguishes life style patterns. The DSS is used to assess the self management process, and automates feedback to the user, consistent with the achievement of their life goals. We have found that telecare and assistive technology is feasible to support self management for chronic conditions within the home and local community environments.

Category: Communication Connected Health Mobile Technologies Smart Homes & Environmental Controls

Added by Ash-Lee Hall · 8 years ago