Yesterday and Today, Tomorrow.

Briefly, I had my meeting with Alan Newell yesterday; he gave me a fascinating insight into his experience of AAC devices and their design (for an engineer’s perspective). I have blogged some key points of this conversation on my university page, which should appear here today too… so to avoid repitition, a couple of things I missed out:

Ventriloquist dummies (how would people feel with others talking to them through a third party? Something to explore, out of interest, with users.)

Use an iPod or similar?

Instead of getting stuck with LED’s and sewing, why not use the likes of an iPod as a display? With my scarf concept, this would make life easy for prototyping, and would provide the experience I want. The typography will shine through the scarf material, but the iPod is otherwise unseen. To get the sort of structure needed, a friend of mine suggested cutting up a neck brace, to hold the ipod and to use as a prop under the scarf. Definitely could be on to something here.

Thinking about high necks… there is something ‘important’ seeming about people with collars. Shirts. Military uniforms. The tie. The lanyard. Cravats. Furs.

Tomorrow I will sort out my stuff for my first Ataxia UK regional meeting (first one organised by me!) I’m a little anxious for people to turn up, it’s always very hit or miss with these things, but wish me luck!