iPod Touch/iPhone as a Communication Device

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For those PALS (Patients with ALS) who have good hand function, but just have trouble speaking, this may be a solution for you.

If you already own an iPod Touch or iPhone, there are a host of applications that you can purchase to have your device speak out loud things that you type or select on a screen. There are MANY text-to-speech applications on iTunes. Here is a sample of the applications that are the most appropriate for PALS:

NeoKate/NeoPaul/NeoJulie	Speaks anything typed into the application. You can store phrases. Natural sounding voices, each voice is a separate application.	Free on iTunes
Proloquo2go	Fully featured communication software with over 7000 items. Good quality voices. www.proloquo2go.com	$189.99 on iTunes
Speak it! Text to Speech	Turns anything a user types into speech. Good voice synthesizer with very clear speech. Male and Female voices available.	$1.99 on iTunes
Talk to Me - Text to Speech	Speaks words as they are typed, and will speak whole phrases. Male and Female voices.	$1.99 on iTunes

Also, the speech can be heard over the phone line, so you can make calls and use the application to speak for you.

If you do not have an iPod Touch or iPhone, you may be interested in this option. You should go to a store that sells iPod Touches or iPhones to see how you like the touch screen before you purchase this device.

Other accessories that you may find helpful:

Ewest Super Mini Stereo Speaker →

iMainGo 2 Handheld Speaker Case →

If you have difficulty touching the screen, there is a stylus
that you can purchase to help make selecting items easier →
called the Pogo Stylus.

There is a company that sells all of these components
bundled together to use the Proloquo2Go sotware: →
http://www.orin.com/access/Proloquo2Go/

These devices do not have the same capabilities as a high tech communication device, but for some patients, it can be a good solution.

Ask The Expert! Do you have any assistive technology related questions? Email Ben Lieman, our Assistive Technology Specialist at BLieman@als-ny.org or call the office at (212) 720-3057.