New Low-Cost, Static Display AAC Device: Talk to Me 100

Designed by a speech therapist, the Talk to Me 100 by SydSpeak is a new static display AAC device that retails for $59.00.  It uses core vocabulary (the 100 most commonly used words) and is not programmable. 

The voice on the Talk to Me 100 is recordings of a 10 year old actress.  

You can download an image of the board for free to use as a low tech intervention or to pre-teach before receiving the device. 

The symbols on the Talk to Me 100 are unique to the system and the designers intent to offer the symbols in a free download eventually.  They also offer advice on using the symbols and creating low tech AAC boards.

Free and Low Cost Head and Eye Tracking Software

Updated March 30, 2011

Free and Low Cost Head Tracking Software (note head trackers can usually track any body part and more so if you put reflective tape, shiny nail polish or an LED on that body part)

Note and Tips:

• Head Tracking and Eye Gaze Tracking are two very different things.  Head tracking uses a camera to translate a body part movement, typically the head, into mouse movement.  Eye Gaze Tracking is more complicated, using one or more cameras to translate slight movements of the eye into mouse movements.  Please do not use the terms interchangeably.
• Head Tracking can generally track any body movement - a toe or finger or elbow should work as well as a head to these systems
• Many head tracking systems work better if you use a dot of metallic nail polish, aluminum foil or reflective tape (you can get this in bike stores) to make it easy for the camera to stay on one spot
• Free and low cost systems often do not have the features commercial systems have, for example you many need to install addition autoclick or dwell click software and you will not have as much (or any) access to tech support

Free and Low Cost Head Tracking Software

• Camera Mouse is for Windows XP, Vista and 7, uses a webcam and is free
• Cam Space is free body part or object tracking software
  
• Enable ViaCam uses any webcam to track head movements
  
• Free Track is free, opensource head tracking software that many other programs are based on
• HeadDev is an ipen source, Windows based head/body part tracker that uses a webcam (English info)
  
• iTracker for Mac, uses webcam $29.99
• HeadMouse3 uses any webcam for free to do head tracking
• Open Gazer Head Tracking Version free head tracking software using a web cam

DIY Head Trackers

• directions to use a Wii for head tracking
• directions to make a Lego head tracker
  

Free and Low Cost Eye Tracking Software

• ITU Gaze Tracker is a free eye gaze program for Windows that works with a webcam
• myEYE is a free eye tracking program for use on Windows with a high resolution webcam
  
• Open Eyes has directions to build two different user worn eye gaze systems
  
• Open Gazer is free eye gaze software for Linux that works with a webcam

Options to Click

• Dwell Clicker free software to allow hovering over an item to trigger a click
  
• Point and Click  free software for dwell and auto clicking 
• Use a switch set to "mouse click" or "enter"