iAutism

Tic-Toc-Tiles has surprised me. Its developers have used the multi-touch capabilities of the iPad to create a very original and funny fine motor skills training exercise.

Once started, Tic-Toc-Tiles asks the user to register by entering a name. The app allows a maximum of five records, which should be more than enough. Once registered, the user is assigned a piece, which they have to fit into the puzzle to start the training. Although it may go unnoticed, thus starting mechanism is another very original and intuitive detail of Tic-Toc-Tiles.

After that, the user can choose a difficulty level, with 1 being the easiest and 4 the most difficult.

On the next screen begins the activity itself. First, the user starts the exercise by choosing which hand to use. Here lays an important aspect of Tic-Toc-Tiles. To do the puzzle you can only use one hand. The app forces you to keep the thumb of the other hand on the blue button marked by an arrow. So, if at any time you move your finger, the screen locks and you cannot continue the exercise until you press the blue zone with the corresponding thumb again. Thus, the system ensures that you perform the exercise with one hand.

The most basic level consists of five pieces that you have to fit with one hand while keeping the thumb of the other hand on the blue button.

It does not matter the hand that you start to work with, because the exercise is not complete until you have done it with both hands.

Tic-Toc-Tiles makes us to do the same puzzle using the other hand, while still forcing you to keep the thumb of the ‘first’ hand on the blue button.

After completing two puzzles, Tic-Toc-Tiles shows your total score, and also a partial score for each hand, which gives you very interesting information to assess specific skills as well as some aspects of brain laterality.

Once passed the first level, you can continue the training with the rest of levels, until you reach level 4.

Finally, as an added value, the application records historical control scores. You can see them by dates, allowing you to assess the evolution in time.

Of course, the historical control will not be complete without some statistical charts to view, at a glance, the historical evolution both for the left hand and the right hand.

Tic-Toc-Tiles costs $0.99, certainly a bargain price for everything it offers. The execution of Tic-Toc-Tiles is flawless and the graphics have been carefully designed. It gives the impression of a carefully planned development that has resulted in an app with a very specific purpose that performs very well.

-Iván

This post is also available in: Spanish