Father invents app to help his sons communicate

Joe noticed how good his son was at playing Angry Birds, so he started to think about developing a computer application to help children with autism learn to communicate. Hill's startup company launched Aeir Talk for the Apple iPad tablet on November 30 2011.

"I just really wanted something that was affordable and was also quality work," he said. "There were a lot of apps that did a lot of different things, but I really wanted a one-stop shop for people who had kids with autism."

What makes the app unique, Hill said, is that it allows parents to customize the flashcards, uploading their own photos, typing in their own text and recording their own voices. That allows the flashcards to be personalized for the child.

"The familiarity of things around them really helps in the learning," Hill explained.

Aeir Talk is a hit with Deacon, 8, and Hill's younger son, Gunnar, 7, who also has been diagnosed with autism. Since they've been using the app, Hill said, his sons are getting better at recognizing facial expressions, and Deacon can now call his brother and grandparents by name.

Until that moment when Deacon played Angry Birds, Hill had struggled to interact with his son and find something to hold the boy's interest. As he played the game for the first time, Deacon giggled and kicked his feet with excitement as the birds squawked and flew across the iPhone's screen, Hill recalled.

"It actually brought me to tears," said Hill. "That day was the first time we had actually sat down together and interacted for a long time."

The app is free and can be downloaded at the App Store.

Adapted from: http://bit.ly/2tzNw5D

More info: https://www.facebook.com/aeirtalk/timeline
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2WLc1LszZ0