Inventions that will change education: Wearable Communication for $300

I participate in Innovative Technology For Autism, started by Katherina Boser Chair of Innovative Technology for Autism Committee at Autism Speaks. This group works to connect researchers with the autism community.

The Sixth Sense is one of many practical,cutting-edge tools that will be adapted to serve Special Needs children.

I would use it to enable my autistic students to photograph and save images from a neighborhood trip for later discussion. The system would also allow me to program a separate shopping list for each student. I would love to see a student scan a box of cereal to see if it is on his shopping list (represented as a word or PECS symbol). The scan would also tally deductions from the shopping budget. Owe $9.25? Scan the $20 bill in your hand and the system will tell the student how much change to get back.

If readers will suggest their own uses, I will post them on my Classroom 2.0 page and create a poll for the best suggestions. If our list is worthy, I will propose it for discussion at the Media Lab. Perhaps we can get a pilot going in a few schools.