環(huán)球英語 — 391：Technology for Autism
Voice 1
Welcome to Spotlight. I'm Joshua Leo.
Voice 2
And I'm Liz Waid. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
Jesse can ride a bicycle. Jacob is not angry any more. And Zack can use the internet. What do these three boys have in common? They all have the brain condition autism. But with new technology, their lives have become easier. Today's Spotlight is on these new technologies.
Voice 2
Autism is a health problem that affects thousands of people around the world. In fact, it is a brain condition. It affects people in different ways. But most often, it affects a person's ability to communicate. A person with autism may not understand how to act around other people. And for children with autism, life can be very difficult.
Voice 1
When a child is autistic, parents may feel worried. They may not know how to best help their child. Sometimes, the behaviour of an autistic child is difficult to understand and control. Technology like the internet has helped parents share with each other. Much more information about autism exists today than just ten years ago. But the internet is not the only technology helping autistic children and their parents.
Voice 2
In 2003 Barry Nelson bought a two-wheeled bicycle. But this bicycle was different than most bicycles. Two people could ride this bicycle instead of one. Barry bought it for himself and his son Jesse. Jesse has autism. He could not ride a bicycle alone. Jesse did not understand the danger of cars on the road.
Voice 1
So Barry bought this new bicycle to ride with Jesse. But there was a problem. On this bicycle, Jesse sat behind his father. Sometimes Jesse would stop moving his legs, sometimes he would take his hands off of the bicycle handles. Barry had to always look behind him to make sure Jesse was safe. Barry knew there must be a better way to ride with his son.
Voice 2
Barry searched all around for a bicycle that would work. Finally he found a bicycle invented by Robert Gardner. It was called the Buddy Bike. The Buddy Bike is a bicycle that lets the child sit in front of the adult. The child can push the bicycle pedals with his feet and have handlebars for his hands. Jesse could see everything in front of him. On the old bicycle, Jesse could only see his father's back. On the Buddy Bike, there was no longer a risk of crashing.
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Barry enjoyed using the bicycle with his son so much that he started a business selling Buddy Bikes. He wanted to share the Buddy Bike with other families like his. He used his business skills to sell the Buddy Bike all over the world.
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One man from Israel wrote to Barry thanking him for the bicycle.
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"We received our Buddy Bike two months ago and we are having a great time with it. Our son, Nir, is sixteen [16] years old and is autistic. He loves our weekend bike rides so much that he is always ready to put on his helmet and shoes."
Voice 1
All over the world, children who have mental difficulties are enjoying the Buddy Bike. These children may have never ridden a bicycle before. Now, with the Buddy Bike, the roads are open to them.
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But the Buddy Bike is not the only new invention helping Autistic children. Raffi Rembrand is an engineer in Israel. His son Jacob has autism. Often, Jacob would become angry or worried. Raffi and his wife did not know what to do when this happened. So Raffi started reading and learning all about autism. He learned that when an autistic child becomes angry or worried, deep strong physical pressure can calm him down. There were special clothes that put pressure on the body but they did not work very well. So Raffi decided to invent his own.
Voice 1
Raffi started working with vests, a kind of shirt that does not cover the arms. These vests became the BioHug. The BioHug had areas that held air. When the child becomes worried or angry, the vest fills with air and puts pressure on the child's body. Raffi tested the device on his son. The BioHug made Jacob more calm.
Voice 2
Other people had made machines that put pressure on the body. But these machines were very large and heavy. Raffi's BioHug can be worn by a child. Raffi's son Jacob uses the Biohug when he feels angry or worried. Raffi hopes to make more BioHugs to help autistic children all over the world.
Voice 1
Anger can be a big problem for autistic children. If the child does not understand something, or if he cannot communicate well, he may become angry. Raffi used his engineering skills to help his son's anger problems. John LeSieur used his skills in a similar way.
Voice 2
John LeSieur creates computer software programs. John's grandson, Zack, has autism. Every time Zack used a computer, he would become angry. He would throw parts of the computer across the room. So John started to think about how he could make the computer work better for Zack.
Voice 1
John created a special program for children to look at websites on the Internet. Zack liked this new program. He did not get angry at the computer any more. With Zack's help, John improved the program, to share with other children. When John made a change to the program, he would let Zack test it first. Today, John shares the ZAC Browser program for free on the internet. It was the first web-browser program designed for autistic children.
Voice 2
Over one hundred thousand [100,000] people have installed the ZAC Browser on their computers. John receives letters and emails every day from parents who are very thankful for the ZAC Browser. In the past, their children could not use the computer. But today, they have a new tool!
Voice 1
None of these technologies can solve all the problems of autism. But the Buddy Bike, the BioHug, and the ZAC Browser are making life a little easier for autistic children, with the love and support of their parents and communities.
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