New Idaho Technology Company Receives a $1 Million Grant from the National Institutes of Health for Autism

Company develops new imaging solutions for special needs children

Boise, ID ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì May 7, 2007 ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì Autism, a complex developmental disability affecting more than 1.5 million Americans today, gets special attention from a new company in Idaho.

Caring Technologies / TalkAutism of Boise, ID collaborated with Georgia Institute of Technology to develop and patent a digital video recording system that lets professionals, caregivers and parents uniquely capture and then securely replay the last few moments before a behavior of interest or concern of a child with autism.

A small business grant from the National Institute of Child and Human Development is intended to help TalkAutism further develop and research its special behavior imaging (BI) system in schools. BI Capture?ɬ¢?¢‚Ǩ?æ?Ǭ¢ allows users to selectively archive an incident via specially generated video clips. Although the camera is always on, the system only saves a pre-set amount of the video prior to and during the incident once the user presses a remote control button. With TalkAutism?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢s telemedicine expertise, the video clip can then be archived online and shared discreetly with an expert who may be anywhere in the world. The company also will introduce applications for the home.

Says Ron Oberleitner, CEO and cofounder of Caring Technologies: ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ö‚ÄúWe are introducing an imaging modality which could be as pervasive as X-rays, and address imaging needs for behavior and mental disorders. Such imaging can help families and teachers even in the most rural communities get access to specialists. Also, with our company?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢s expertise, Idaho should be the world?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢s host of important disability health information from our company?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢s personal health record application.?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ö‚Äú Oberleitner, whose son has autism, also founded Talkautism.com, a thriving web community deemed ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?ã?ìbest of the web?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢ by Forbes for parents and professionals to exchange helpful information.

Asked why Idaho to run this company, Oberleitner responded, ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ö‚ÄúWe moved from the east coast to Boise because it?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢s an excellent environment to run our technology-based company, and there is an understanding of what such telemedicine technologies can really do for healthcare and special needs children.?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭù

TalkAutism received guidance from Idaho TechConnect during the Phase II SBIR grant application process. In addition to market research and commercialization work, TechConnect served as a sounding board. ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ö‚ÄúTechConnect turns Idaho ideas into Idaho businesses. Getting ideas to market is critical to the life cycle of any disruptive technology. TechConnect is the vital link that brings that understanding to the technology food chain in the state.?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭù said Rick Ritter, CEO and President of Idaho TechConnect.

Oberleitner concluded, ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ö‚ÄúWith refinement of these technologies, we’re on the threshold of a next, leaping step in helping kids with autism, their parents and the professionals who work with them.?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?Ǭù

About Caring Technologies / TalkAutism?ɬ¢?¢‚Ǩ?æ?Ǭ¢
Caring Technologies?ɬ¢?¢‚Ǩ?æ?Ǭ¢ of Boise, Idaho combines internet and telemedicine technologies to provide solutions to autism and other healthcare communities. In addition to BI Capture?ɬ¢?¢‚Ǩ?æ?Ǭ¢ (www.bicapture.com ), the company has also developed a web-based personal health record platform for interacting with specialists remotely and TalkAutism.com , a web-based communication and education service. More information about the company is at www.caringtechnologies.com .

About Idaho TechConnect
Idaho TechConnect is the state?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢s first and only private-public non-profit organization focused solely on technology ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì its development, transfer and commercialization ?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Ǩ?ì all of which impact the state?ɬ¢?¢‚Äö¬¨?¢‚Äû¬¢s economy. Formalized in April 2006 as a statewide entity, Idaho TechConnect bridges the gap between ideas, research and patents and the enabling people, money and facilities. Four regional offices assist Idaho entrepreneurs and businesses in turning ideas into products, establishing and growing R&D programs, seeking funding and competing in the global marketplace. More information is available at www.idahotechconnect.com.

For more information, contact:
Andrew Choufrine
Caring Technologies / TalkAutism
(888) 355-7161
andrew@talkautism.org

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