MrAnalogy

Was interview for cordyceps fungus researcher?

There isn't necessarily no way to communicate. It's normally just language (or symbolic) communication.

So, you could communicate with hand gestures, pictures, etc.

One technique is a communication board, with lots of pictures. The person with aphasia would point to the picture of concept they want to communicate.

And there are augmentative communication devices, but they are ( in my experience) not terribly useful for an adult w/ aphasia.

Not to get all pedantic, but aphasia means difficulty with communication. So "visual aphasia" doesn't make any sense. Still an interesting deficit

Aphasia -Aphasia is an impairment of language, affecting the production or comprehension of speech and the ability to read or write. (from the National Aphasia Association)

I've been working with people for 20 years (I make aphasia therapy software) and it's amazing how little the average person appreciates their language.

I like to say : Aphasia is the deficit that has everyone not talking.

When we try to relearn language as an adult we find out just how complicated speech & language are.

But, boy, when it's gone you realize how valuable it is.

That's exactly what Andy Brice did with PerfectTablePlan.com

Uses some pretty advanced algorithms for planning seating arrangements.

Of course, the real challenge with a consumer product is usability, that intersection b/t your cool product and the folks with the wallets. But, that's where the money is. (Money isn't everything, of course).