An Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) application for iPad, designed to help individuals with speech and language challenges communicate using photo-based cards with text-to-speech.
Built with love for Milla. ✨
This AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) app was created for Milla, a bright and expressive young girl who communicates in her own unique way. The goal of this project is to give her — and others like her — a voice that feels natural, empowering, and easy to use.
The app is designed with accessibility, speed, and simplicity at its core — intuitive enough for kids, flexible enough for families, and built with love by someone who knows that communication is more than just words.
If you’d like to contribute, test, or adapt this for someone in your own life, you’re warmly welcome. The goal is to keep improving how we help people express themselves — one tap, one phrase, one smile at a time.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) helps people with speech and language challenges communicate. This app uses pictures with labels that can be spoken aloud, helping bridge communication gaps.
- 📸 Photo-Based Communication - Take photos or use existing ones from your device
- 🏷️ Simple Labels - One-word descriptions for each photo
- 🎙️ Custom Audio - Record 5-second audio clips in a familiar voice
- 🤖 AI Voices - Choose from iOS text-to-speech voices
- 💾 Local Storage - All data stays private on your device
- 📱 iPad Optimized - Large, accessible interface designed for easy interaction
This app is designed to be:
- Simple - Easy enough for independent use
- Fast - Immediate response to taps
- Flexible - Customizable for individual needs
- Private - No data collection, no internet required
- Accessible - Works with iOS accessibility features
- Platform: iOS 12+ (iPad)
- Language: Dart
- Framework: Flutter
- Storage: Drift (SQLite) + local files
- Audio: record, flutter_tts, audioplayers packages
- Development: Windows PC, final build on Mac
🚧 Planning Phase - See PROJECT_PLAN.md for detailed specifications.
- Windows 10/11 PC (or Mac)
- Flutter SDK 3.16+ (Install Flutter)
- VS Code with Flutter extension (recommended) or Android Studio
- iPad with iOS 12+ for testing
- USB cable to connect iPad
- iTunes (for iPad drivers on Windows)
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/dreamstarter/stardust-aac.git
cd stardust-aac/stardust
# Install dependencies
flutter pub get
# Generate database code
dart run build_runner build --delete-conflicting-outputs
# Connect iPad via USB and run
flutter devices
flutter run -d <device-id>See SETUP_COMPLETE.md for detailed setup information.
This is a personal project built for Milla. If you're working on similar AAC tools, feel free to reach out or fork the project.
To be determined