Easter Seals Crossroads recently delivered an excellent full day training on “Assistive Technology and Autism”, in Indianapolis, Indiana. CreateAbility was honored to have some of our products included in this training.
After an introduction to Autism, this training spanned communication technologies, social and cognitive supports, an in-depth look at sensory processing, and wrapped up with demos of video modeling tools.
In case you missed it, you can view some of these presentations at:
In case you would like more information on our products, here are some overviews and YouTube links on CreateAbility’s evidence-based research and products that help people with Autism and their families.
1. Coordinating care and improving communication between the family and care team
BEAM
BEAM helps the many people involved in taking care of an individual by helping coordinate resources and then aid in communicating within this team.
A simple dashboard provides a quick summary of an individual’s status, and highlights the items still needing to be addressed.
BEAM is a web-based tool that can be used by any device that runs a web browser, and can be used in group homes, assisted living or independent living centers, homes, or in vocational settings.
BEAM uses a freemium model, where many useful features are provided free, and additional features are provided for a modest fee.
https://youtu.be/bhYO0WT330g
2. Talking Pictures To-Do List, with Video Modeling
MeMinder
MeMinder is an app that currently runs on Android phones and tablets to coordinate caregiving and provide task management. The MeMinder app works with CreateAbility’s BEAM Cloud to help people with the right permissions to monitor what tasks were completed and the ability to modify the tasks and schedules. These changes are then automatically updated on the MeMinder app. The goal is to help reduce the effort required by the care team in creating and managing the individual’s activities and how to do them.
MeMinder is a talking pictures to-do list that helps people with memory and sequencing challenges. Each step in the sequence of reminders can be static images with audio instruction, or full video.
The MeMinder app runs on Android phones and tablets to coordinate caregiving and provide task management. The MeMinder app works with CreateAbility’s Cloud to help people with the right permissions to set schedules and tasks, monitor what tasks were completed and the ability to modify the tasks and schedules, and coordinate with the other stakeholders in the person-centerer plan. Changes made in the cloud are automatically updated on the MeMinder app.
Intro to MeMinder –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GGyNwdeLyY
3. Remote Monitoring and In-Home Prompting and Remider System
Independence Builder
Independence Builder helps individuals with intellectual disabilities or people with developmental delays, such as: Autism, Fragile X, or Down syndrome to live as independently as possible. The system provides natural supports by validating certain tasks and activities have taken place by a specific time. The system provides respectful prompts and reminders if these tasks or activities were not performed. Examples in the video include medication, safe kitchen activity, and other typical activities of daily living. Independence Builder now includes control of the home via Amazon Echo.
Product video with testimonial:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhUsl_AmWl0
4. Behavioral Health Supports Between Therapy Sessions
Affectus
Affectus is a system that helps consumers with an Intellectual Disability, who also have behavioral or mental health issues. The system automatically detects yelling, the slamming of doors, the pounding on walls, as well as a self-report button being pressed.
This triggers prompting the individual to rate their emotion level, and then guides the consumer through the Skills System coping mechanisms. The result is that the individual returns to a calmer state, more quickly.
Intro to Affectus video:
https://youtu.be/60dngKyEpMA
Mobile Avatar Coach
The goal of this demonstration of our new Mobile Avatar Coach is to illustrate how mobile technology can help people who are also receiving behavioral health services between therapy sessions. Because this method is available whenever / wherever, it provides the individual the opportunity to practice and fill in between sessions, and helps keep them from losing what they learned (again, only to be used in the context of therapy).
CreateAbility’s Mobile Avatar Coach, is a type of “conversational agent” that have been shown to help people to share experiences they don’t want to talk about with another person,” and thus encourage more patient honesty. CreateAbility believes that this should only to be used in the context of therapy.
The following YouTube link is a screen recording while “Jeff” makes selections. A variety of Avatars and voices will be available soon, and the content will be customizable.
