Report
Teaser, summary, work performed and final results
Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ADST (Advanced Digital Stuttering Therapy Tools)
Teaser
People with speech disorders, such as stuttering, are challenged in their daily life, and often suffer from social exclusion and employment difficulties. Health statistics show that 10% of the population suffer from speech impediments. Health systems are spending about €32...
Summary
People with speech disorders, such as stuttering, are challenged in their daily life, and often suffer from social exclusion and employment difficulties. Health statistics show that 10% of the population suffer from speech impediments. Health systems are spending about €32 Billion annually on speech therapy. While other healthcare practices are progressing rapidly, speech therapy has not adapted yet ICT practices and still operates traditionally with pen and paper. The “National Stuttering Association†indicates 84% relapse in stuttering therapy – 5 out of 6 patients will continue to stutter after therapy.
NiNiSpeech\'s Advanced Digital Stuttering Therapy Tools (ADST) project aims to improve the therapists’ and the patients’ experience, boost the therapy outcome, and reduce therapy cost. The unique IT system provides an ultimate environment for the person who stutters to assimilate speech techniques in the brain, equips the Speech Language Pathologist with a first view to real-world speech, and incorporates the first and only automatic detection and measurement of speech fluency.
Following successful feasibility, the current ADST project\'s objectives are: (a) Scaling up the system (b) Localization to various languages (c) Compliance with regulation (d) Successful field trials.
Work performed
During the 1st year NiNiSpeech focused on the following activities, and achieved the following results:
- QA system put in place
- Regulation requirements were mapped
- Compliance with ISO27001, ISO27799 and GDPR is expected December 2017
- Compliance with Netherlands reimbursement is completed
- The system was localized to several languages
- Algorithms were validated in several languages
- System upscale was designed and implemented
- IT management and administration developed
- The system was demonstrated to KOLs with excellent results
- Beta site agreements are underway
- Alpha site and pilots were conducted
- Feedback from alpha users were considered and some implemented
- ADST concepts were disseminated to professionals, organizations and patients
- Research was conducted and presented in prestigious events by KOL
Final results
During the 1st period NiNiSpeech was first to offer the following:
- Automatic fluency measurement - demonstrated, validated, researched, and presented at leading academic events by KOLs
- System to provide advanced stuttering therapy practice - demonstrated to clinics, tested in pilots and alpha-site
- Dashboard to enable speech therapists to monitor adherence, compliance and progress of their patients
- Speech therapy digital system to comply with GDPR
We expect the following results until the end of the project:
- ADST system smoothly operating in beta sites
- Measured and publishable outcome - adherence boosting, clinical outcome
- Readiness for reimbursement in at least one European country
- Platform for providing digital speech therapy for additional indication (beyond stuttering)
Potential impact:
10% of the population suffer from speech impediments and 1% of the population suffer from stuttering. Speech disorders often result in personal, social and professional obstacles. Therapy works well in clinic, but may not achieve expected results due to lack of training out of clinic (National Stuttering Association). Transfer of in-clinic speech to out-of-clinic is the biggest speech therapy challenge. ADST will address the dire need for:
1. Increasing therapy success rate
2. Boosting patients’ compliance with therapy
3. Measuring performance and progress
4. Evidence-base treatment for payers and research
Website & more info
More info: http://www.ninispeech.com.