PIE Talker

Welcome

Pie Talker turns any tablet, phone, or computer into a communication board. Tap a tile → it speaks. Build a phrase from multiple tiles → tap Speak to hear them together.

• Runs entirely in the browser — nothing to install
• Works offline once loaded
• Add to home screen for a full-screen app experience

Getting Started

First launch opens a setup wizard — about one minute to complete.

Setup Wizard (6 steps)

1. Name — Communicator's name (optional).
2. Stage — Controls grid density. Change anytime.
3. Packs — Vocabulary sets. Core Communication always on.
4. People & Interests — Names of family, pets, interests. Auto-creates "My People" folder with ready tiles. Optional — skip and add later in Settings.
5. Language — Display language for tile labels and symbol search.
6. Look & Feel — Design style + light/dark mode. Tap Start Talking.

Your First Words

Basic use

• Tap any tile → it speaks the word aloud.
• Tap multiple tiles in sequence → words appear in the phrase strip at the top.
• Tap the green Speak button → hears all words together as a sentence.

Edit the phrase strip

• Tap a word in the strip → removes it.
• Backspace → deletes the last word.
• X (clear) → resets the whole phrase.

The Grid

Folders

Tap a folder tile → opens a new set of tiles. A breadcrumb trail shows your location — tap any crumb to jump back.

"Where I Am" context

Tap the situation selector (top of screen) and choose from 16 situations — Home, School, Mealtime, Playtime, Bedtime, Feeling Sick, and more. The prediction engine boosts relevant words automatically. Stage limits still apply.

Search

Searches the entire vocabulary tree, including inside folders — fastest way to find any tile.

Customizing Tiles

Open the tile editor

Long-press any tile (or right-click on desktop) → tile editor opens.

What you can change

• Label — What the tile says.
• Symbol — Search 13,000+ free ARASAAC pictograms.
• Custom image — Upload a photo or use the camera. Custom photos always override symbols.
• Pronunciation — Type a phonetic hint if the voice mispronounces the word.
• Audio recording — Record any voice to replace the computer voice. Trimmable.
• Category — Fitzgerald Key color (noun, verb, adjective, etc.).
• Visibility — Hide a tile without deleting it.

Adding new tiles

Tap + on the grid → choose word tile or folder → set label and symbol.

Communication Stages

Stages control grid density — "how many tiles to show." Change anytime in Settings.

Context Packs

Curated vocabulary sets for different life situations. Toggle on/off anytime — words stay ready in the system.

• Core Communication
• Early Learning
• School Life
• Social & Fun
• Independent Living
• Medical & Care
• Community & Relationships
• Workplace
• Hospital & Acute Care

• Core Communication is always on: yes, no, want, help, stop, feelings.
• Hospital & Acute Care: pain scale, body map, medical needs, emergency words. Powers Quick Start guest mode.

Board Templates

Pre-built boards to start from — customize after applying. All come with ARASAAC symbols pre-assigned.

• Starter Board — 12 core tiles (yes, no, more, stop, help, want, eat, drink, go, play, bathroom, hi). Stage 1–2.
• School Board — 24 tiles in folders: Classroom, Subjects, Social, Needs. Stage 2–3.
• Medical Board — Pain, needs, people, health status. Stage 3.
• Social Board — Greetings, feelings, opinions, activities. Stage 3–4.

Look & Feel

Design aesthetics (visual style, not age)

• Playful — Bright, rounded, generous spacing.
• Modern — Clean, contemporary, subtle palette.
• Classic — Professional, minimal, refined.
• High Visibility — Maximum contrast, extra-large text. For visual impairments.

More options

• Dark mode — Light, dark, or match system.
• Accent color — Any color for buttons, highlights, phrase strip.
• Tile shape — Rounded, square, or borderless.
• Font — System default, OpenDyslexic, or Lexie Readable.
• Font size — Up to 175% override.
• Icon/Label balance — 5 levels from icon-only to label-only.
• Fitzgerald Key colors — Color tiles by part of speech. Modes: Auto, Accent, Full Background.

Accessibility

Switch scanning

Navigate with one or two switches (or keyboard keys). Three patterns:

• Row-Column — Select a row, then a tile within it. Most common.
• Column-Row — Select a column, then a tile within it.
• Linear — Tiles highlight one at a time, left-to-right. Best for small grids.

Configure: scan speed, loop count, which keys trigger advance and select.

Dwell selection

Hover over a tile for a set time → it activates. A progress ring shows countdown. For eye trackers, head trackers, or pointer users who can't click easily.

Large targets

Default: 56px (above the 44px accessibility minimum). Options: Large (72px) or Extra Large. All buttons scale up too.

Keyboard navigation

• Arrow keys — Move between tiles
• Enter / Space — Activate tile
• Tab — Move between regions
• Escape — Close editors

High contrast

High Visibility aesthetic meets WCAG AAA (7:1 ratio). Combine with large fonts and dark mode for maximum readability.

Language & Translation

Supports 17+ languages via the ARASAAC library. Display and speech languages can be set independently.

• Display language — Tile labels and symbol search.
• Speech language — The voice's spoken language.
• Translator mode — Display in one language, speak in another (e.g. labels in English, voice in Spanish). For language learning, bilingual homes, or cross-language communication.
• Dual-language labels — Shows a second language label below each tile. Both languages visible at a glance.

For Caregivers

Tap the gear icon to open Settings. Eight tabs — details below. Full safety & controls guide →

Profile tab

• Name — Communicator's display name.
• Communication Stage — 1–5; controls grid density.
• About the Communicator (collapsible) — enriches prediction and tile suggestions:
  • Important People & Pets — Name + role (Mom, Dad, Therapist, Pet, etc.). Auto-creates "My People" folder tiles.
  • Interests — Tag-based. Boosts relevant words in predictions.
  • Dietary Context — e.g. "vegetarian, nut allergy." Surfaces food-related vocabulary.
  • School or Work Context — Free text describing their environment.
  • Medical Context — Free text for conditions, equipment, etc.
  • Zip Code — For future location-aware vocabulary.

Vocabulary tab

• Vocabulary Builder — Opens a full-screen browser for the 13,000+ ARASAAC symbol library. Browse by category, get context-aware suggestions based on the communicator's profile, and add tiles from life context packs. Learn more →
• Life Context Packs — Toggle curated vocabulary sets on/off. See all packs →
• Board Templates — Pre-built boards (Starter, School, Medical, Social). Apply replaces current vocabulary.
• Hidden Items — Shows count of hidden tiles. Unhide All restores them in one tap.
• Symbol Audit — Review all tiles with their symbols in one scrollable list. Edit labels, swap symbols, delete, or move tiles without hunting through folders.
• OBF Import/Export — Industry-standard OpenBoardFormat. Export to share with other AAC apps; import boards from other users. OBF guide →

Appearance tab

• Design Style — Playful, Modern, Classic, or High Visibility.
• Display Mode — Light, Dark, or System.
• Fine-Tune (collapsible) — granular controls:
  • Grid Columns — Auto (stage-based) or manual override (4, 5, 6, etc.).
  • Tile Size — Small, Regular, Large, Extra Large.
  • Color Coding — Off, Fitzgerald Light, or Fitzgerald Full background.
  • Font Size — Standard, Large, Extra Large, or Huge.
  • Accent Color — Color picker for buttons, highlights, phrase strip. Reset to default available.
  • Background Color — Custom grid background. Reset to default available.
  • Background Pattern — Solid, Subtle Dots, Grid, or Gradient.
  • Tile Shape — Rounded, Square, or Circle.
  • Font Family — System, Dyslexia-Friendly (OpenDyslexic), or Display Bold.

Full themes & appearance guide →

Symbols tab

• Skin Tone — Light, Medium, Dark, or Varied.
• Hair Color — Blonde, Brown, Red, Black, or Varied.
• Black & White Symbols — High-contrast mode, removes color from all symbols.
• High Resolution Symbols — 2500px images for large displays. Uses more data on initial load.
• Color-Coded Symbol Backgrounds — Fitzgerald category color behind each symbol image (separate from tile background color coding).

Language tab

• Display Language — Tile labels and symbol search language.
• Translator Mode — Voice speaks a different language than tile labels.
• Dual-Language Labels — Show two languages on each tile simultaneously.

Full language guide →

Content tab

• Vocabulary Content Controls — Toggle categories: Social & Fun, Profanity, Bathroom Humor, Sexual Health, Medical Explicit. Anger and negative emotions are always on — expressing "I'm angry" is a fundamental right.
• Symbol Library Filtering — Sexual and violent content is filtered from symbol search by default. Adult communicators can unlock the full library with two separate toggles.

Access tab

• Switch Scanning — Auto (timed) or Step (manual). Configure scan speed, loop count, pattern (Row-Column, Column-Row, Linear), switch keys, auditory feedback.
• Acceptance Delay — 0–500ms hold time before confirming a switch selection. Prevents accidental activations.
• Repeat Delay — 0.2–2.0s before a held switch triggers again.
• Dwell Selection — Hover-to-select with visual progress ring. Configurable dwell time (0.3–5.0s).
• Dwell + Switch Confirm — Dwell highlights the tile, then press a switch to confirm. Combines both input methods.
• Tile Size & Grid Columns — Large target mode for motor accessibility.

Full accessibility guide →

More tab

• Tile Predictions — On/off toggle. Suggestion row based on usage, time-of-day, context.
• Enhanced Suggestions — "Discover" section with words from the full ARASAAC library. Tap to add & speak. Respects content filters.
• Clear Learning Data — Erases prediction history. Predictions start fresh.
• Settings Lock — Off, Long Press (2s hold to open settings), PIN (4-digit), or All (locks both settings and tile editor).
• Activity Log — Records every settings change: who, when, what. Last 500 entries. Clear Log to erase.
• Danger Zone (collapsible):
  • Reset Vocabulary — Restores default tiles. Custom tiles removed.
  • Full Reset / Next Guest — Erases all data (vocabulary, settings, logs). Guest profiles show "Ready for Next Guest" instead.
• Version — Current app version displayed at bottom.

Tips & Tricks

Quick phrases

Pre-composed phrases that speak with one tap. Quick phrase bar sits above the grid. Long-press any quick phrase to edit it or record a real voice in place of the computer voice.

Prediction row

Suggested tiles above the grid based on past usage, time of day, and current context. Tap one to add it to the phrase — or ignore entirely.

Enhanced Suggestions (Settings → More): adds a "Discover" section with words from the full ARASAAC library not yet in your vocabulary. Tap one → instantly added as a new tile. Respects all content safety settings.

Emergency SOS

Red SOS button is always visible at the top, regardless of folder depth. Announces an emergency alert. Cannot be hidden or moved.

Offline & install

• Works fully offline once loaded. Only new ARASAAC symbol searches need connectivity.
• Install to home screen: browser menu → "Add to Home Screen" → full-screen app, no app store needed.

Keyboard shortcuts

• Arrow keys — Navigate tiles
• Enter / Space — Activate tile
• Tab — Move between regions
• Escape — Close editors

Frequently Asked Questions