NCTI -

National Center for Technology Innovation
Advancing Technology Innovations for All Students

Brightest Ideas in Assistive and Learning Technology - Winners for 2007

Tags:,

The 2007 Conference’s Technology Expo showcased over 2 dozen vendors, product prototypes, services and other great assistive and learning technology innovations.  This year, NCTI sponsored a Peer Award for the Brightest Idea in 2007. 

But how do you select a winner among the variety of powerful reading products,  science and math programs, evaluation tools, and other really cool innovations?   With a roomful of assistive and learning technology researchers, developers, entrepreneurs and AT specialists, why not let the experts choose?

To decide the winners, each conference participant voted for their two favorite exhibits. Once the ballots were in, it was clear that the challenge of selecting a single winner had been daunting even for savvy NCTI stakeholders.  Therefore, several participants were recognized for their innovative ideas and products.

Congratulations to SmartBrain Technology and  for winning the First Annual NCTI Peer Awards for Brightest Idea! Also recognized were CAST, Dancing Dots, Inc., and Opdo Limited.  Learn about other innovators by visiting the Tech Expo page.

Drew Murray with SmartBrain Demonstration

SMART Brain Technology

SMART Brain Home System
Presented by Domenic Greco, Judith Pokorni & Lindsay Greco

SMART Brain Home System, developed by CyberLearning Technology, uses neurofeedback to improve the behaviors of individuals with autism, language disorders, and attention deficits. Individuals play a Sony PlayStation® racing game while wearing a visor with 3 sensors and using a specially programmed game controller. The player receives auditory, visual and tactile feedback, depending on the real time brain wave patterns being used. The equipment is being tested through an NCTI grant with adolescents with ADD.Â
» Visit Smart Brain’s website.

 CAST crew day 1

CAST

Science Writer
Presented by Boo Murray & Mindy Johnson

Science Writer is a digital tool, framed in the principles of Universal Design for Learning that guides students in writing a report based on the scientific inquiry process. Embedded supports include animated agents, rubrics for self-checking, a glossary, and a journal. Teachers can track individual student progress in the writing process, provide feedback through Science Writer’s work log, and use the built-in progress monitoring system to inform instruction.Â
» Visit CAST’s website.

 Dancing Dots demonstration at Tech Expo

Dancing Dots, Inc.

GOODFEEL® Braille Music Translator
Presented by William R. McCann

Thousands of Braille-reading students throughout the U.S. lack timely access to Braille music materials and thousands more blind musicians lack the means to independently produce printed scores of their own musical ideas. GOODFEEL® from Dancing Dots relieves the world-wide shortage of transcribers, keeps transcription at local level and empowers blind musicians to print their music, solving two age-old problems: first, how to independently learn new material from print scores and, second, how to express creative musical ideas in print medium. GOODFEEL® promotes literacy, independence and inclusion.Â
» Visit Dancing Dots’ website.

 

Opdo Limited

Lomakâ„¢ Communication Technologies
Presented by Christopher Mulcare

Opdo Limited has developed a range of revolutionary communication products for children and adults with severe physical disabilities, who are unable to communicate verbally, hold a pen or use a computer. Opdo’s products are based around the award winning keyboard Lomakâ„¢ (Light Operated Mouse and Keyboard). Lomakâ„¢ uses advanced light sensor technology and a proprietary circular keyboard design. Users operate the keyboard by either a hand held pointer or a head mounted light pointer. The distinctive radial arrangement of keys makes for easy understanding and learning.Â
» Visit Opdo’s website.

Reader Comments

[...] unknown wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerpt [...]

Brightest Ideas in Assistive and Learning Technology - Winners for … on January 9, 2008 at 7:18 pm EST

[...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]

technology » Blog Archive » Brightest Ideas in Assistive and Learning Technology - Winners for … on January 9, 2008 at 8:05 pm EST

[...] Read the rest of this great post here [...]

Brightest Ideas in Assistive and Learning Technology - Winners for … | Technology on January 9, 2008 at 8:08 pm EST

[...] popular video game interface. SMART BrainGames Technologies was also the winner of the first-ever Bright Ideas Peer Award at the Technology Expo portion of the 2007 NCTI Technology Innovators [...]

SMART BrainGames: Learning from Neurofeedback in Video Games on April 28, 2008 at 8:30 pm EDT

Write a Comment

Take a moment to comment and tell us what you think. Some basic HTML is allowed for formatting.

You must be logged in to post a comment. Click here to login, or you can Register.


Information

Register to join the conversation by commenting, tracking what others have to say, or linking to it from your blog.

Related Resources
ConnSENSE Conference Podcasts Now Available
2008 Annual RESNA Conference