Developing Touch Apps for Autism

 

The committee is composed of leading
technology and autism experts;
© panthermedia.net/Paul Hakimata

Autism Speaks, the world's largest autism science and advocacy organization, and the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism have joined HP's "Hacking Autism" initiative, which seeks new ideas for touch technology applications beneficial to people with autism.

"Hacking Autism" will crowd source ideas for applications from all across the autism community, including families and practitioners, and will engage developers and designers to voluntarily create applications across touch-based platforms. The "Hacking Autism" innovative designs aim to facilitate and accelerate technology-based ideas to open up learning, communication and social possibilities, and to help give those with autism a voice.

"Innovations in technology are moving forward the race to find solutions to improve daily life for individuals with autism," stated Autism Speaks Chief Science Officer Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D. "Input from the community will accelerate designers and innovators' creative thinking to best apply technology to autism in a way that has the potential to make a significantly positive impact for individuals with autism where they need it most."

"Technology has the power to improve lives, and our hope is to work with the developer community to find ways that technology such as touch-enabled computers, tablets, and software can advance communications and learning experiences for individuals with autism and their families," said Phil McKinney, vice president and chief technology officer of the Personal Systems Group, HP. "We are excited that the Autism Speaks and the Flutie Foundation organizations are joining HP in supporting HackingAutism.org."

Together, the groups announced the appointment of the Hacking Autism Advisory Committee, which will select for development ground-breaking, touch-enabled applications submitted by the autism community for the autism community. .

"So many individuals with autism who struggle with verbal communication are able to open up new doors to social interaction when they are able to use tools such as touch applications," explained Canora, who is also dad to a son with autism. "Parents are always looking for new strategies to engage their children with the people and world around them and technology has so much potential to do that."

REHACARE.de; Source: Autism Speaks