The Problem As I write this at 5:49 a.m., I just made a decision to get Calvin out of bed. This means that remotely unlocked his bedroom door and told him to get up. While this appears to be an innocuous routine, every morning it’s a damn dance. When do we wake him up? Is...
After interviewing countless caretakers for Calvin over the years, it finally dawned on me that Calvin needs a resume. Get Our Alexa Command Guides Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens...
I’m violently opposed to any kind of cameras in the bathroom, unless we’re talking a serious safety issue. But we’ve got to know if and be alerted if Calvin is causing trouble. Our goal is for him to use his own bathroom appropriately without fear that he’s going to flood the house. Get Our Alexa...
Good technology is tedious to build, especially when we’re trying to replicate behavior in the real world. Many of us old-timers may remember the behind-the-scenes videos of The Lion King, where Disney brought in real-life animals for the artists to study. It’s painful and slow, but that’s how you study the nuances of real-life–same with...
This is a painfully difficult problem to solve, but I’m confident that we’re zeroing in on a solution.
Calvin dismantling the speaker last night When Calvin goes into his bedroom during the day, nothing good can come of it (I’ll go into more detail about this in the next week). And so we have a physical child lock on the outside of his door so that he can’t go in until it’s time...
Calvin has a crush on Amazon Polly. It’s the invisible voice of Pollexy that speaks and he listens–to him it’s a real person. But most importantly, he follows her instructions . . . mostly. We are not computers. Underneath Calvin’s body of an 18-year old boy is a now-adult brain, battling the maturity of a...
If you want to fire off an instant debate in technology, start a conversation about privacy. Everyone has an opinion, and it’s an incredibly complex issue. Setting aside the privacy debate for a moment, I want to briefly put a spotlight on the benefits. And just so we’re on the same page . . ....
When I started building Pollexy for Calvin in 2016, it seemed like a no-brainer. People with autism love consistent routine–it’s safe and comforting. Software is black and white, true or false. So what a perfect marriage–the unwavering daily routine of autism managed by the unbiased, unemotional, never-frustrated computer. I could not have been more wrong...
“This magic bullet will solve the special needs care crisis.” — no one As a parent of a home-bound adult child with severe autism, I feel keenly the daily struggles of balancing the day-to-day responsibilities of a full-time job, parenting other children in the home and maintaining a healthy marriage. None of these is a...
© 2023 Troy Larson | Customized by Wpgio