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2020 - SPEAK2U, Portable Software Tool to Support Language Functionalities in Children with Cerebral Palsy
Communication is one of the most basic needs that a human being shows throughout his life, since it promotes his integral development and facilitates the interaction with his environment. However, some individuals may not make full use of this ability because of a disease, disorder or accident, with Cerebral Palsy being one of the most common causes of limitation of communication.
Speak2U is an application for Android mobile devices, which has a graphical interface basically composed of photo-frames, which express ideas or desires and which, when selected by the user, create audible sentences, and which are listened to by their interlocutor(s). The application is also composed of "action icons", for example, play action, delete action, action to go to another window, among others. Actually, SPEAK2U is a registered software legally recognized by the Interior Ministry of Colombia. This document can be downloaded here.
Conceptually speaking, Speak2U was conceived in order to satisfy the following main requirements:
To provide a communication media for children with cerebral palsy.
Using touch screen or special designed buttons to interact with Speak2U.
Reproducing simple and median complexity phrases using photo-grams.
Users can build simple and median complexity phrases to be reproduced later.
Users can manage the phrases build using photo-grams.
The figure in the left shows the main activity of Speak2U executed from an Android portable device. Starting from this activity users can access to the following interfaces:Short phrases.
Activities for "I want", "I feel", "Cheers", "Recent", "Objects" and "Custom phrases".
The activities "I want" and "I feel" have three additional sub-levels.
The activities "Cheers", "Recent", "Objects" and "Custom phrases" have one additional sub-level.
In general, the GUI of the Speak2U follows the organization shown in the figure at left, where it can be found:
Space for the photo-grams selected (1).
Space for the tool bar where play, delete and start over can be shown (2).
Space for the photo-grams.
The configuration tool bar, where the Bluetooth communication, Speak2U, buttons, and additional photo-grams configuration parameters are shown.
Speak2U was tested on real users in the Neuron-Rehabilitation Center SURGIR. The following video shows how it works using the external buttons:
This software was developed for therapeutic service and academic use. If you like to perform a field test, please contact me:
Prof. Bladimir Bacca Cortes Ph.D.
Address: Cra. 100, Street 13, Universidad del Valle, Melendez, Building 354, Office 2006.
Tel: +5723212100 Ext. 7656
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