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Autistic boy inspiration behind communication software
by Parker Leavitt
- Oct. 8, 2009, The Arizona Republic
For a tight-knit group of six Valley inventors and entrepreneurs, two years of teamwork and innovation
have finally culminated in a great reward: the startup software company's first major contract.
Phoenix-based Alexicom
Tech has agreed to license its augmentative communication software, which gives a voice to people with severe
language impairments, to Phoenix Union schools for about $20,000 per year, for up to five years.
Alexicom Tech was formed in April 2008 by a small group of professionals, led by Gilbert residents Fredi and Pam Lajvardi,
whose son Alex has autism and is "nonverbal."
Their program allows parents, teachers and therapists to build custom pages with pictorial icons, which represent common phrases
and vocabulary. Speech-impaired users can click the icons to generate an electronic voice that speaks on
their behalf.
In bidding for the contract with Phoenix Union School District, the local startup went toe-to-toe with industry
giant DynaVox Mayer-Johnson, a Pittsburgh company with about 360 employees and an estimated annual revenue
over $100 million.
"It's like we're Shasta, and we just beat out Coke and Pepsi," software
developer Karen Suhm, of Phoenix, said.
For two years, the company's six members pooled their time
and resources to create their sole product: the first Internet-based system for augmentative communication.
Building the business from scratch has been a resourceful, low-budget effort, they said.
While Karen Suhm developed the computer program, her husband
Jerry acted as the business manager. Fredi and Pam Lajvardi have been the primary instigators in organizing
the effort. Speech pathologists Marti Baio and Staci Neustadt have added their professional expertise and
perspective on the system development.
"I don't think any of us could have done this without the rest of us," Karen said.
The project's genesis came two years ago, when Fredi Lajvardi, frustrated by the expensive, bulky communication device his son Alex
was using, approached Karen with an idea.
"I thought, this should be something you can go online and
do," Fredi said. "And if we can show that this is feasible, maybe we can figure out a way to save millions of
dollars for people all over."
So Karen began searching for a way to make it happen.
"It didn't start out as a really big project," she said. "It was Fourth of July (2007), and I was watching a hot-dog eating contest
and doing some research on text-to-speech. That's when I saw that I could make this system work on Web pages."
Alexicom Tech purchased licenses to use AT&T's text-to-speech voices, including male and female voices in multiple
languages.
In June 2008, the company obtained a patent and began introducing the system shortly thereafter.
The new contract has finally given Alexicom Tech credibility and validation, Jerry said.
"There's a sense of satisfaction everybody would feel for a
certain amount of hard work and dedication, without any guarantees," he said. "It's a substantial victory to
see it validated in a contract or a client."
Local firm unveils new speech tool
Sept. 2- Oct. 3, 2008 The San Tan Sun News
For children who have autism, apraxia, Down Syndrome or those who can't speak, Fox Crossing resident
Marti Baio says her company recently launched a way for them to better communicate with others.
In what they believe is the world's first Internet-based alternative and augmentative communication (AAC)
system, Alexicom Tech has developed a system for those with communication disorders to "talk" to family,
friends, classmates and others.
Alexicom Tech is an AAC system that is available via the Internet, where people can use any computer and
access developed communication boards - or create their own - that are paired with voice output.
"Real pictures make communication easier with specific and understandable choioces," Baio explains.
"AAC assists any person with severe speech and language problems. This includes, but is not limited to,
people with cerebral palsy, autism, traumatic brain injury, mental retardation, ALS, physical disabilities,
stroke, head injury, spinal cord injury, cancer, muscular distrophy, AIDS and Huntington's disease. To our
knowledge, there is no other device like this."
The Internet-based software platform moves with the user and can be accessed through many electronic devices,
including some cell phones. Created pages can be saved on a personal computer to be used offline.
The members of Alexicom Tech include Baio, Karen Suhm, Staci Neustadt and Faridodin "Fredi" Lajvardi. Contact
Suhm for more information and a demonstration by calling 602-819-1114 or visiting www.alexicomtech.com.
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