In a recent Sydney Morning Herald article Asher Moses reveals that an iphone has been developed where a young lady with Autism who cannot talk, is now able to communicate freely.
http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/smartphone-apps/autism-iphone-breakthrough-from-tantrums-to-appy-days-20100416-sjjl.html
Sasher Moses wrote: "Few can legitimately boast that an iPhone app changed their life but for 10-year-old Grace Domican, unable to speak due to autism, the touchscreen phone has given her a voice for the first time. Her mother, Lisa Domican, created a picture-based iPhone application to help her communicate and the tool was so successful she is now trialling it in a school for autistic children in Ireland."
The family moved to Ireland from Australia in 2001, and are now planning to provide the application to schools, and to sell versions suitable for downloading to both the iPhone and the newer iPad.
Aspect, Australia's largest non-profit organisation providing support for people with autism, has also expressed interest in trialling the 'app' with its clients.
Well-Being Australia chairman Mark Tronson, a Baptist minister and cricket chaplain thinks that as this technology develops, so it may provide a whole new world of communication with a wide range of people through birth, medical or accident are unable to speak to communicate.
"This gives me ideas for those with speech impediments," suggests M V Tronson, who knows the difficulties from bitter experience. "When such people are up against a stressful situation, or have to speak quickly such as when purchasing a bus ticket, then their speech leaves them entirely.
Maybe these people could 'text' their message on their phone, or write it in a word processor on their blackberry, and have it ready to show the person at the counter. That would relieve the stress and frustration for everyone, and no new applications would be required for that."
The new 'picture-based' technology could develop into a wide range of applications which would be a wonderful release for many people who are simply unable to communicate verbally or have significant restrictions in the verbal area of communication.
He could see a situation whereby even a sermon in the suburban church could be given in this way, whereby the iphone application was linked to the big screen projector. "Now, the silent sermon, that could be quite the thing," mused M V Tronson.