Activities
Annual Report 2007
Annual Report 2007 in English (pdf)
Projects from Finland
CVA rehabilitation (power point, 17kb)
”Juttu-Tupa” Communication Cottage (power point, 225kb)
GAME CD ROM for people with aphasia
In the year 1999 the Dutch Aphasia Association presented a newly developed computer program for aphasic persons, Kompro 2000. This program consists of exercises with symbols, pictures, words and sentences, as also typing and memory training. These exercises were not primarily meant as a therapy, but were rather to be seen as a kind of brainteasers or language quizzes.
Thousands of persons with aphasia now make use of this program at home, either independently or helped by a voluntary worker.
The consequence of all attempts the Dutch Aphasia Association made to make people with aphasia enthusiastic for working with a computer is, that many Kompro-users have approached us with this question: would we be able to develop a CD-ROM with computer games, that would be suitable to be played by aphasic persons?
The Dutch Aphasia Association finds it a challenge to make an effort to develop such a CD-ROM or game portal. With all current possibilities, using the existing Internet connections, we aim to serve aphasic people all over the world with this new project. A first demo-cd-rom was presented at the International Conference in September 2002 in Zeist, The Netherlands.
In 2002 the GA voted in favour of the CD-ROM project being adopted as an AIA-project. The Dutch Aphasia Association promised to handle fundraising and development of the CD-ROM; help from AIA members was asked for translations. ICT-team Netherlands was willing to pre-finance the development of the cd-rom and a game portal on the internet, because they are very enthusiastic about this project. The Dutch Aphasia Association provided knowledge, the development of a logo, brochures, time and energy for the project. This contained financial investments as well.
The present-day situation is, that the Dutch version of the cd-rom AND the game portal on the internet will be ready at April 23 2004. Immediately after the launch of the Dutch version the game cd-rom will be translated in 10 different languages!
The Dutch Aphasia Association and AIA will have the exclusive rights to distribute the cd-rom amongst people with aphasia. All buyers of a cd-rom will get a code that gives them access to the game portal on the internet. This will offer people with aphasia the possibility to meet others in similar situations without leaving their house.
A provisional presentation of the game cd-rom was shown by ICT-team Netherlands.
New expedient for people with aphasia
In case of an emergency asking for help by mobile phone is not always an easy thing to do for people with aphasia. If you are being attacked, involved in an accident or something else goes wrong, there will be hardly any time for you to key in a number. Even if you would manage, you may not have the opportunity to hold a conversation. Moreover, you won't always be able to tell your exact location, especially not when you are in a rural area or in a strange city. Finally you will always be dependent on a well-charged telephone, enough credit and the right provider.
My-SOS outstrips on all these points, and more! This is how My-SOS works:
In case of an emergency you press two buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds. My-SOS will automatically contact the 999-emergency centre. It will pass the following message: "I am a person in danger, please notify the police. My position is: latitude ..... and longitude ..... " This position will be calculated by the GPS-satellite system with an accuracy of 5 metres, wherever in the world you might be. When My-SOS has been activated an unobtrusive little light (the indicator) will shine at the backside of it.
From the moment My-SOS has been activated, it will keep trying to contact the 999-emergency centre until the message has been received. When your position should alter, in case of a kidnapping for instance, My-SOS will transmit any new position for 24 hours, so that the police will be able to follow you.
In the near future My-SOS will be usable worldwide. Whenever you should get into a situation of emergency, My-SOS will then contact the national emergency centre of the country you are in. Your position will be calculated automatically by the GPS-satellite system and your message will be translated into the proper language.
All national delegations that were present in Luxembourg attended the presentation AND testing of My-SOS. They were offered a FREE specimen of My-SOS (normal costs EUR 349,-) to take home to try it out...... Rob Kuipers and Edwin Siemerink, the makers of My-SOS, were present in Luxembourg to provide A.I.A. members with this expedient and all necessary information.
EU-countries should realize, that a new European law will be effective in 2004, that binds EU members to find ways for ALL (language) disabled inhabitants to have the possibility to call in help from the 999-emergency centre. So far My-SOS is the only expedient that will be able to provide this service to people with aphasia.
More information: www.my-sos.nl
Aphasia Game Portal:
Download the english demo of the Aphasia Game Portal.
The file is 7.5 mb and you need a fast computer to run it.
Download the demo
New: Italian demo
Translations in other languages will follow shortly
Aphasia Conference 2002, Zeist, The Netherlands
