Dad created homemade communication board for son with autism

Scott is a teenager who suffers from autism and is non-verbal. So, his father Alan decided to put his love for invention to use and build him “Scott’s Peg Board”, in the hopes that it would help his son communicate.

The device consists of a board with 16 slots, each one with a picture. When pressed, a corresponding sound is emitted. The pictures and sounds can be changed, producing an almost infinite number of possibilities and exploring several different types of communication. For example, Alain made one set with pictures of animals so that Scott can learn their different sounds. Another one with everyday representation (like objects, emotions, needs and family members photos) that allows for more direct communication: when Scott needs to go to the bathroom he can press the picture of the toilet or when he is thirsty he can press the picture with the drinks.

The whole device is relatively simple and can be made with easy to find materials like copper foil, cardboard and pvc sheets. The electronics are based on an Arduino microcontroller board a Df-player mp3 module. A complete list of materials and instructions can be found at Alain’s website “Alain’s Projects”, where he shares the entire development process.

Instruction and information: https://alainsprojects.com/2020/03/10/scotts-peg-board-communication-board/

https://twitter.com/AlainsProjects/status/1318943509790007296
https://twitter.com/AlainsProjects/status/1236710812619857920?s=20