Technology has become an important ally in the daily lives of autistic people and their families. Communication, routines, learning, information, and planning outings are areas where apps have been increasingly used in recent years.
Below, we have gathered five tools that we consider useful for the daily lives of autistic people, their families, and professionals who support their development.
1. Orbi360
Description: Orbi360 is a collaborative app that brings together community experiences about restaurants, schools, cultural spaces, hotels, airports, and other environments. Reviews consider sensory, structural, and operational aspects, such as noise levels, lighting, the availability of quieter areas, and staff preparedness.
This information forms the Neurindex, an evolving index that indicates the current level of preparedness of a location to welcome neurodivergent people. The index is not a quality rating or certification. Instead, it serves as a reference for people who need to plan ahead before leaving home and as guidance for businesses that want to improve.
The app is free and also offers a proximity-based map, category filters, comments, photos, and check-ins. Launched simultaneously in the United States, Brazil, and Portugal, it is available in 17 languages and currently covers 58 countries.
Platforms: Android and iOS.
Learn more here. https://orbi360.com/baixe-o-app.php
2. Livox
Description: Livox is a Brazilian Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) app that converts images and text into speech. Winner of a United Nations award in the inclusion category, it adapts to each user’s individual needs.
It is designed for non-speaking people or those with limited speech, allowing them to express their wishes, sensations, and needs. It is used in family, educational, and therapeutic settings.
Platforms: Android.
Learn more here.
3. Minha Rotina Especial
Description: Created by an occupational therapist and the father of an autistic child, Minha Rotina Especial organizes the day into visual sequences, using real photos and audio recordings made with voices familiar to the child.
The tool allows users to create step-by-step sequences for each task and anticipate unusual events, such as trips and visits, helping reduce anxiety caused by changes in routine.
Platforms: Apple devices.
Learn more here.
4. Jade Autism
Description: Jade Autism is a Brazilian platform that uses games and interactive activities to stimulate attention, cognition, communication, and social skills in autistic children.
The content adapts to each child’s profile and works as a complement to therapy and professional support, without replacing them.
Platforms: Android and iOS.
Learn more here.
5. Genioo
Description: Genioo is an artificial intelligence platform specialized in autism, neurodivergence, and other neurodevelopmental conditions, created by Tismoo. It was trained using scientific studies, publications from Revista Autismo, and research from the Muotri Lab at the University of California, San Diego, which distinguishes its responses from those of a general-purpose AI.
Genioo operates within the Tismoo.me app and is also accessible through a web browser. In addition to the chat, which includes assistants dedicated to areas such as education, medicine, nutrition, and psychology, the platform allows users to organize medical tests and health information in one place.
Platforms: Android, iOS, and web.
Learn more here.
Technology Supporting Autonomy
The five apps cover different areas and can be used together, with one not necessarily replacing another. It is worth downloading them and testing them at your own pace, because each family and each person will find different tools useful at different times.
Technology, when used thoughtfully, does not solve everything. But it expands the choices available.
And more choices mean more autonomy.
