A collaborative team from IIT Bombay and the IDC school of design have developed an app to that serves as a learning and communication device for people with speech disabilities.
The concept was a part of an IIT Bombay students’ project in 2004 and has, since then, evolved from a physical aid mechanism to a free app that can be used on any android device.
“The unique thing about the app is that it takes into account emotions by using expressive buttons,” says Professor Ravi Poovaiah, one of the project investigators of the app.
Jellow has six key buttons — like, dislike, want, don’t want, more and less — along with an extensive vocabulary which make it easier for a child with speech difficulty to communicate. To avoid error, the app also repeats out loud whatever is typed into it.
The concept was presented at the Microsoft Expo in 2004 and was later turned into a website in 2008. With the rising of tablets and touch screen phones, the team could finally focus on bringing forward a touch-based app.
The app is not only a communication device, but can also be used as a tool for learning.
Source: The Indian Express