I'm watching a demonstration, from 1997, of a device that today, would be a smart phone, but was originally designed to let disabled, non-reading users, take pictures of their environment and put those images together to communicate. Through a barcode scanner, and a vast library of images, these people, previously with very limited verbal skills, expressed their wishes, told stories, and increased their verbal skills.
Like, imagine if communication cards and letter boards for disabled people were built up of images the user took- you could have pictures of people you just met, of your favorite foods, of so many abstract concepts and ideas!!!
the same technology that lets you search your phone for cat pictures could be used to give more disabled people tools for communication!
