Scientists have developed an affordable and customizable digital badges to help those with aphasia navigate public transport and everyday life without stigma. Inspired by the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard, Dr. Timothy Neate and Humphrey Curtis from King's College London worked with local patient groups and charity Aphasia Re-connect to design InkTalker and WalkieTalkie, that act as a conversation aids for people living with complex communication needs (CCNs).
InkTalker displays a series of pre-loaded phrases for conversational use, while WalkieTalkie presents an easy-to-use platform displaying customizable text. CCNs refer to a broad range of impairments that can result in difficulties speaking, reading and writing, making everyday conversations with strangers and social navigation more challenging. These can be caused conditions such as dementia or aphasia, a language impairment often caused by stroke, and have been shown to lead to increased risk of , and .
There are however tools to help people living with aphasia "communicate in the moment." People with aphasia often carry objects which display information about their needs, such as TfL's "Please Offer Me a Seat" badges, or cards which say, "I have had a stroke" and provide further information about how to communicate. They might also use " " augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices like Stephen Hawking's voice communication system to produce speech.
These typically take the form of tablet applicat.