Novel AI-powered platform aims to help ALS patients to communicate

How a novel AI-powered platform is giving a voice to ALS patients

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder that gradually robs people of their ability to move, speak, and breathe. For many ALS patients, losing the capacity to communicate with their loved ones and the world is one of the most challenging aspects of the disease. However, a new AI-powered platform may offer a novel solution to this problem, by creating realistic and personalized avatars that can speak on behalf of the patients.

The platform is the result of a collaboration between Lenovo, DeepBrain AI, and the Scott-Morgan Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing assistive technologies for people with severe disabilities. The platform was unveiled at CES 2024, a tech showcase held in Las Vegas in January.

The platform consists of a device called the R1, which looks like a walkie-talkie with a touchscreen, a scroll wheel, and a camera that can rotate 360 degrees. The R1 uses a push-to-talk button to activate voice commands, which are processed by an AI system that can interact with any website or service on the web. The AI system uses a series of automated scripts called “rabbits” that can perform tasks such as ordering pizza, booking a flight, or playing music.

The R1 also uses a state-of-the-art generative AI technology developed by DeepBrain AI, which can create hyper-realistic avatars that resemble the patients and capture their personality and expressions. The avatars are generated by using full-body video capture and facial recognition techniques, and can be customized with different accessories and backgrounds. The avatars can then be displayed on the R1’s screen, or projected onto a larger screen or a hologram.

The avatars can speak on behalf of the patients, using either their own voice recordings or a synthetic voice that matches their tone and accent. The patients can control the avatars’ speech by using eye-tracking technology, brain-computer interfaces, or other input methods, depending on their level of mobility. The avatars can also respond to questions and comments from other people, using natural language processing and sentiment analysis.

The platform aims to provide a more natural and engaging way for ALS patients to communicate, by preserving their identity and individuality. The platform also hopes to enhance the patients’ quality of life, by allowing them to express their emotions, preferences, and opinions, and to participate in social and recreational activities.

The platform is currently in the testing phase, and has been tried by two ALS patients, Erin Taylor and Peter Scott-Morgan. Taylor, a 24-year-old woman who was diagnosed with ALS last year, said that the platform has given her a new sense of hope and freedom. Scott-Morgan, a 62-year-old scientist and the founder of the Scott-Morgan Foundation, said that the platform has enabled him to continue his work and advocacy for people with disabilities.

The platform is expected to be available for preorder later this year, for $199 per device. The platform will require a 4G LTE SIM card or a Wi-Fi connection to operate. The platform will also offer a subscription service that will provide access to more features and updates.

If you are interested in learning more about the platform, you can visit their website1, or read some of the reviews from WIRED2 and MIT News3. You can also watch a video of the platform in action below: