There is another problem with assistive tech, I'm not sure if or how much this applies to speech, but it became clear to me when discussing ideas for assistive products or projects with people of the type who have money. In every single circumstance, the answer was: there are grants for that. Since the work is done by grants, that is also a way to keep prices jacked up. I have spoken with many people who needs various types of assistive tech and I was quite shocked at the reality of the situation. One woman needed just some kind of special chair and it was thousands of dollars, it can't be done without insurance or some kind of beaurocratic "process'. And herein lies the rub, the people who can make these things affordable do not on purpose. It would seem to be part of the "club" of people who feed each others business interests. I even had one executive type say to me "we are not philantropists" when proposing an assistive tech idea. He didn't get it, there is a market and the market is not "free" because it's artifically inflated by the beurocracy that believes you need "grants" to do anything. I say BS, it's time for some people to just get out and do things, assume they do not need a grant to get an idea moving. It may be slower and uphill but then not relying on "grants" means not being in the "game" that keeps assistive tech away from people who need it. -- Doug
