Assistive Friends :D - AAC Chat with Virtual Friends at the Beach!
By Mindskate Limited
Open iTunes to buy and download apps.
Description
Assistive Friends :D helps AAC users to escape to a virtual beach party to chat with virtual friends. It helps them to practice turn taking and conversational interaction using a modern chat interface.
Assistive Friends :D uses color, sounds and movement to interest the user. The virtual friends are located on a beach, with the relaxing sounds of people talking and waves rolling onto the beach. The attractive location and characters provide a very pleasant diversion.
The virtual friends respond with a text and high quality spoken (audio) reply, anytime of the day or night. If the user ceases to interact, the virtual friends will prompt him or her with spoken questions. This should help the user to break out of any "learned passivity" and help continue the conversation. So make sure the volume is turned up!
The virtual characters use our proprietary "Natural Response" technology. The responses generated are unlikely to be bland or predictable, just like real people. The chat avatars are software responders so they are infinitely patient and impossible to offend! They provide a safe and private environment for the user to say whatever he or she wants to.
The app accesses the latest word-completion technology to reduce the number of key-presses required to create any given message. We hope that this app will help users to improve their social interaction skills.
Please note that lip-movements are not animated during speech as this can look false, and adds little to the user experience. The app requires an internet connection to exchange messages with our chat server and wi-fi is strongly recommended.
This is a totally unique AAC app designed to stimulate social interaction and provide relief for carers. It includes 7 chat personalities, and as it is now a Universal app, it can be installed on all your iOS devices at no extra cost!
Please send improvement requests to us at info@mindskate.com so that we can continue to make this better for AAC users.
What's New in Version 2.0
New word completion system for iOS5
Customer Reviews
So dissapointing
You know, if this was a $.99 app, or even $1.99 I would still be disappointed, but for $29.00 Im pissed. The movements of the characters are as slow as what one would imagine skype to be on a dial up network. The characters have no lipsynk technology (which it should be for this price). I am no stranger to A.I. programming, chatbots, ect. There is no way for you to teach the characters anything. Their answers are random and in no way do you even begin to forget that you are speaking to a program because the evidense is all around. The water doesnt move in the back ground, but there is a cool sound of ocean waves. There are multiple characters to talk to, but there is really no difference between them besides looks and male/female voice. Also, the character's voice reads what you type, then reads its own response. And let's talk about the response time for each question: 10-15 seconds for each question as the characters slowly twich from one picture frame (that's supposed to be animated) to another), if you ask anything other that "how are you," or common greetings. The integrity of this company is in question for me.
Customers Also Bought
- $29.99
- Category: Social Networking
- Updated: Nov 21, 2011
- Version: 2.0
- Size: 38.2 MB
- Languages: English, Spanish
- Seller: Mindskate Limited
- © 2011 mindskate limited
Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.Requires iOS 5.0 or later.
