Award for assistive device for those with Asperger's

Asperger's Syndrome has been very much in the public eye recently. A major storyline on the popular television show "Boston Legal" this season has revolved around a character being denied a partnership in the show's law firm because he "makes the clients feel uncomfortable". This is despite the fact that he is the firm's top researcher with an encyclopedic knowledge of tort law and legal precedents. It turns out that he is able to obtain a settlement form the firm because he recieves a diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome.

The show also touches on the question of whether or not those with Asperger's are violent by nature or not. This we will discuss at another time.

Another recent event that has brought Asperger's syndrome and those who have it into the public eye is Motorola corporation's MOTOFWRD contest. This year's winner has developed an idea for a cell phone that gives cues to its owner as to the emotional state of others. This device is the Mood Phone, created by John Finan, a student at Duke University.

While the phone does not physically exist at this time, it may be developed by Motorola, or another technology company in the future.