Innovation

Photos: 9 apps that can help people with disabilities

By // July 17, 2015, 4:00 AM PST // lyndseygilpin

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  • HearYouNow

    HearYouNow is a personal sound amplifier for people trying to listen in specific types of environments, like in a loud restaurant or during a meeting. You can choose to focus on conversations happening near you, or those further away, and it's easy to replay the last 20 seconds of a conversation. Available for free for iOS.

    Image: ExSilent

  • Stepping Stones

    Stepping Stones makes it easier for people to create daily routines, which it calls "paths," to get things done during the day and check them off a list. It uses photos of tasks, like putting away the dishes or getting a backpack prepared for the next day, which can help people who need visual support. Available for iOS for $0.99.

    Image: Shiny Things

  • Dexteria

    Dexteria was made to help children develop fine motor skills, and it has won several awards. The app offers a set of hand exercises to help build strength, control, and dexterity, and parents, teachers, and occupational therapists can track the child's progress with it as well. Available for iOS and Android for $3.99. Binary Labs also makes several other apps to teach children.

    Image: Binary Labs

  • Gett

    Dubbed New York City's "Black Car App," Gett, has revamped its app to make it easier for blind or visually impaired passengers to get a car. To do so, it got some help from a visually impaired teen. This update comes at a time when Uber has reportedly made it difficult for blind passengers to do so, so Gett is really making a place for itself in the ride-sharing/car service market. Free for iOS and Android.

    Image: Gett

  • Be My Eyes

    Be My Eyes allows blind people to connect with seeing volunteers from around the world via video chat. The blind person requests help, asking a simple question, and the volunteer helps them answer the question. It's available for free for iOS and currently being developed for Android.

    Image: Be My Eyes

  • Dragon Dictation

    Dragon Dictation is a voice recognition application that allows you to speak and instantly see your emails, tweets, or texts on the screen. The company makes several versions of software for computers, and also several mobile apps, including this one. Available for iOS for free.

    Image: Nuance

  • Talkitt

    Talkitt is still under development -- it was successfully crowdfunded on Indiegogo last year. It's an app that allows people with motor, speech, or language disorders to communicate using their own voice by translating unintelligible pronunciation from any language into understandable speech.

    Image: Talkitt

  • Avaz

    Avaz Together is $150 iPad application for children with autism. It's a new take on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), and extends therapy into the home and classroom for both parents and children. It offers a picture communication system, natural voices, customizable languages, and a wide set of symbols.

    Image: Avaz

  • Look At Me

    This Android app was made for people with autism to practice making eye contact and improve facial recognition abilities. It uses the camera function of devices, as well as a point system and various levels of difficulty to make it a game and keep children engaged. It's made to be used about 15-20 minutes a day. It's free.

    Image: Samsung

HearYouNow

HearYouNow is a personal sound amplifier for people trying to listen in specific types of environments, like in a loud restaurant or during a meeting. You can choose to focus on conversations happening near you, or those further away, and it's easy to replay the last 20 seconds of a conversation. Available for free for iOS.

Image: ExSilent

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About Lyndsey Gilpin

Lyndsey Gilpin is a former Staff Writer for TechRepublic, covering sustainability and entrepreneurship. She's co-author of the book Follow the Geeks.