It used to be that the only option for TBI survivors to work with their injury was through a notepad and a pen. Whether their injury was mild or more severe, there was almost nothing for them to help keep track of dates, notes, and thoughts other than that piece of paper with notes scribbled down. Today we are seeing growth in technology that assists TBI survivors to help those who have suffered a TBI regain parts of their lives that they would have thought was never possible before.
In the past decade, assistive technology has advanced from the basic wheelchair to being the newest technology out there. We can see the use of the new technology in everyday devices, such as smartphone and tablet applications. These applications cover solutions to a wide-range of problems that TBI survivors might face; therefore making life much easier due to the variety of programs that can help.
After browsing the past few days to find some of the highlights of these assistive technology applications, I’ve seen that the spread between the types of applications and how they work goes along with the different types of brain injury inflicted. Applications can vary from a simple calendar that can display all of your tasks, prescription reminders, and flashcards. There are applications to record audio with a reduction in background noise, making it easier to hear what someone else is saying. Some even go as far as to dictate for you into an iPhone or iPad, if you’re not able to write. One application stores in case emergency information, which includes your medications, history, doctors’ contact information, and vital statistics. Others also include applications that allow a person to express their emotion through the application, if they are not able to say it.
The list of assistive technology that has grown through the development of smartphones and tablets is vast and still developing. They provide a variety of resources for survivors. Above are only some of the highlights, but take a look at what Brainline has rated as the top 27 applications for TBI survivors and feel free to do your own searching from here
