Google’s Project Spectrum
November 14, 2007 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
Project Spectrum was created by the designers of SketchUp—free 3D design software—after receiving “phone calls and emails” from users who noted that their autistic children were enjoying the software. Here’s a video of how four autistic children used the software—–I’ve been looking for something new online for Charlie to try out (he is starting to max out on online jigsaw puzzles; suggestions for online sites are welcome!).
Here is an earlier post on a Danish company that has autistic persons test software products.
This looks like something my son (7 year old hyperlexic) would really enjoy–we’ll definitely give it a try.
As for other things that my son finds amusing that Charlie might also enjoy, there is an inexpensive program for the PC called “Crazy Machines” in which you design these wonderful Rube-Goldberg-like machines. Everyone in my family loves this program. Also, I let my son play the very popular commercial PC game, The Sims 2, which has alot of design feautres (although I’ve definitely received some criticism for this…).
Also a Dutch company is having people with autism testing software.
http://www.kajrietberg.nl/?p=269. It is in Dutch.
I’ll have my husband check out the software. I get in trouble everytime I download something. My husband has all sorts of modelling, 3d software. He has had our son play with fractals and computers paints.
He’s a lot more interested in researching video game cheats, though. (he’s 7)
thanks and thanks for the tips!
Read this. Downloaded it. Love it.
Move over, son, mommy’s having fun!