Ability Foundry AAC

Everyone deserves to be heard

An augmentative and alternative communication app that adapts to how each person speaks. Open source, built on the Open Board Format, and free to take with you.

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What the AI does

Fewer taps between a thought and a sentence

The AI is there to shorten the distance to a finished sentence, not to put words in anyone's mouth.

Voice transcription

Long-press the microphone and speak. OpenAI Whisper turns it into text on the board, so a partner or caretaker can add words without typing.

Smart suggestions

Context-aware phrase suggestions offer likely next words, cutting the number of selections it takes to finish a sentence.

Natural speech output

Two text-to-speech engines, FlutterTTS and OpenAI TTS, so people can pick a voice that sounds like they want to sound.

Open Board Format

A full implementation of the OBF standard, so boards move in and out of other AAC systems instead of being locked in here.

Communication boards

Boards that bend to the person

Board features

Customizable grid layouts (3x3, 1x3, flexible rows and columns)
Hierarchical boards with parent and child relationships
Rich media support for SVG and PNG symbols
Pre-built categories for food, games, music, and medicine
Extensive AAC symbol library

Accessibility features

Switch device compatibility
Customizable text colors and themes
Audio feedback on every interaction
Simple back, home, and clear navigation
Adaptive interface for different needs

Where it runs

On whatever device is already in the room

Built with Flutter, so the same app behaves the same way everywhere. Nobody has to buy a particular device to be understood.

iOS
Android
Web browser
Windows
macOS
Linux

Works with Ability Foundry VR

Practice somewhere worth being

The same boards appear inside our VR platform, so people can rehearse ordering a snack or asking for help in a place that feels real, then use it for real.

Explore Ability Foundry VR

Companion app

Caretakers can help from anywhere

A phone app for the people supporting a user, so boards can be adjusted and progress followed without taking the device away.

Real-time communication monitoring
Progress tracking and analytics
Board customization tools
Remote communication support

Technical specifications

What it is built on

Framework: Flutter with Dart
AI integration: OpenAI Whisper, TTS, and Completions API
Backend: Firebase with Firestore and Cloud Functions
Standards: Open Board Format (OBF) compliant

Join the beta

Help shape how this gets built

Tell us how you or someone you support communicates, and we will get you set up with an early build.

Request beta access

Open source

AGPLv3 with Commons Clause

Free for non-commercial use by individuals, nonprofits, and educational institutions. Commercial use needs a separate license.