Where are all the autistic techies? Need your help!

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I recently got back from writing a story on Hacking Autism. Click here to check it out...

http://blog.autismspeaks.org/2011/10/24 ... eakdown-3/

I also discuss it on the Wrong Planet homepage in my article "The Autistic Brat Pack." Here is the official website of Hacking Autism...

http://www.hackingautism.org/

One of the big concerns at the hackathon in San Francisco was the lack of turn out by autistics. Everyone would like to see more autistics contributing their skills to the development of applications. They will be having more and more hackathons as time goes on.

I'm interested in seeing who would want to contribute in the future.

there was nobody there because AUTISM SPEAKS SUCKS

Autism Speaks is only one of many organizations involved. It won't do much good to criticise them for not including autistics if we are only going to refuse to contribute when they ask for our input.

Maybe they should offer to pay. Or is technical ability from an autistic not worth as much?

As an Aspie who works in IT (over 25 years experience), I don't even look at things located in the US, as I live on the other side of the world.

Secondly, is this about autism, or about ASDs in general? I don't see any special applications that I as a mild Aspie need. Give me some compilers (touch-enabled? Hmmmm) and I am happy. And I really have no idea what someone with autism or more severe ASD needs. If you are a techie then you probably don't need too many special Aspie-related apps.

The only useful ASD-related mobile app I can think of would be an Android version of the AQ Test - although a few other tests for autistic characteristics would be good too.

(I also note that the site HackingAutism seems to focus on children's software. I develop business software - I know nothing about educational software design.)

I can actually think of some that'd be useful for people on the high functioning end of the spectrum, just am not a programmer.

The biggest one is something that helps me monitor when I eat, drink, sleep, etc, and when I have meltdowns and looks at trends in this data. I know I'm more prone to having meltdowns if my body is missing something (and my therapist/counselor/whatever she calls herself says this is normal for people on the spectrum), and I have issues identifying when I'm hungry, thirsty, or tired. Giving me ideas of how often I should be eating, when I should be sleeping, for how long, and such in order to minimize the effects on meltdowns, specifically for myself rather than assuming that my body works like the average body, would definitely be useful.
Also I think lots of therapists make you monitor this data and having it in an easy to deal with format would be nice.

I don't think any of the developers are being paid. It seems like everyone was donating their time, but I'm not sure.

Alex and I were there, and so were several other autistics.

It is a very cool program, which will help enormously to facilate communication, especially for non-verbals.

It is a day long event. The one I attended had tons of free, gourmet food and wine, and they gave away gift bags with really nice cell phones in them. I forgot to get a gift bag, but had a ton of fun.

I will try and post the locations of upcoming hackathons. I really just wanted to see who might be interested in attending.

I can totally identify. That is a great idea! The exact kind that they need!

I forget to eat, take medication, exercise, take vitamins, etc... If I forgot one little thing I can get to feeling weird and have to run through a little checklist to see what could be missing. An ap like that could be very helpful.

Any more ideas?

Autism Speaks did not approach me to participate, nor did any other organization that claims to represent people on the autistic spectrum. Had they asked me to participate, I would have asked to be paid for my time, transportation, meals, and lodging.

Anything worth doing is worth doing well, and anything worth doing well is worth being paid well to do.

Sort of makes my point.

There's all this blather about how good some autistics are at technical stuff put I don't see many people ponying up the money and actually paying them for their talents.

If this posse of volunteer auties makes something that turns out to have commercial value, who gets the money?

So not only are autistics "disabled" relative to society at large, we have to volunteer our time to fix our own?

Something seems a little twisted about that.

Maybe a better tactic would be for someone to come up with some seed money and pay some autistics to actually build a few killer apps.

The aps are made available for free!. This isn't about profit.

It is a charitable project involving HP, Random Hacks of Kindness, Autism Speaks, The Doug Flutie JR. foundation, and others.

I'm old and cynical.

Lots of monied interests and autistics providing free labor. How quaint.

Maybe I'll be less cantankerous after a good night's sleep.

Yeah ... right ... someone's making money, and it never seems to be the exploited "volunteers".


Haven't we all noticed that whenever someone logs on to WP and asks for help from us for their research papers, their reality programs, their books projects, et cetera, they always seem to ask for volunteers who will do the work without getting paid?

It's called "Exploitation", plain and simple, and most of us can tell the difference, because we're Aspies, not idiots!

Ok, so you are or aren't interested? Just kidding!

The applications are being developed with donated ideas, produced at cost, and provided to the public for free.

If you aren't interested that is totally cool, but please don't clutter up the thread with negativity. This is a program which provides FREE services and support to autistics. Isnt that what so many of us have been asking for?

If you aren't interested in attending a Hackathon, but want to contribute, you can submit ideas on the website.

Their website states explicitly that they aren't interested in curing autism, but in providing free services and support to autistics.

I am a degreed professional in electrical engineering who gets paid for his work.

If other people want to give away their efforts in exchange for NOTHING, then that's their business - a business model that invites exploitation, but their business nonetheless - and if my "negativity" inspires other Aspies to think twice about being exploited, then so be it

Maybe it's time to "Occupy Autism Speaks"...

And the root cause of this lack of enthusiasm?



I wonder how many autistics would get involved if this actually paid some bills.

Why do you see this as me being negative? It's just cold hard facts. Is my skill worth anything to you? Then pay me for it. Isn't this how the NT world works? Value for value? The CEO of Autism Speaks is worth 500K+ per year. I am deemed worthy enough to volunteer. I don't want to run the show. Let the big boys draw their big dollar salaries. But don't degrade my worth by telling me there isn't enough money in the system to pay me.

You want killer apps programmed by autistics? Then offer them the same thing that programming killer apps brings to NT programmers.