👉 An ideophone is a type of communication device that allows users to "think" or "think aloud" while using a physical object. This technology was developed in the 1970s by the British company Acoustical Devices International (ADI) and has since become popular for its ability to mimic human speech patterns. The idea behind an ideophone is to allow users to communicate with objects, such as objects on a table or a book, without having to physically hold them or speak.