Ignite Creation Date:
2024-10-26 @ 3:40 PM
Last Modification Date:
2024-10-26 @ 3:40 PM
Study NCT ID:
NCT06599996
Status:
NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Last Update Posted:
None
First Post:
2024-08-29
Brief Title:
Artificial Intelligence and Augmentative and Alternative Communication AAC
Sponsor:
None
Organization:
None
Study Overview
Official Title:
Application of Artificial Intelligence to Improve Access to Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Status:
NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Status Verified Date:
2024-09
Last Known Status:
None
Delayed Posting:
No
If Stopped, Why?:
Not Stopped
Has Expanded Access:
No
If Expanded Access, NCT#:
N/A
Has Expanded Access, NCT# Status:
N/A
Acronym:
AIinAAC
Brief Summary:
The overarching objective of this project is to transform access to assistive communication technologies augmentative and alternative communication for individuals with motor disabilities andor visual impairment for whom natural speech is not meeting their communicative needs These individuals often cannot access traditional augmentative and alternative communication because of their restricted movement or visual function However most such individuals have idiosyncratic body-based means of communication that is reliably interpreted by familiar communication partners The project will test artificial intelligence algorithms that gather information from sensors or camera feeds about these idiosyncratic movement patterns of the individual with motorvisual impairments Based on the sensor or camera feed information the artificial intelligence algorithms will interpret the individuals gestures and translate the interpretation into speech output For instance if an individual waves their hand as their means of communicating I want the artificial intelligence algorithm will detect that gesture and prompt the speech-generating technology to produce the spoken message I want This will allow individuals with restricted but idiosyncratic movements to access the augmentative and alternative communication technologies that are otherwise out of reach
Detailed Description:
As noted in the Communication Bill of Rights from the National Joint Committee on the Communication Needs of Persons with Severe Disabilities All people with a disability of any extent or severity have a basic right to affect through communication the conditions of their existence Access to speech-language therapies that promote optimal communication outcomes is also noted to be a fundamental right by the United Nations Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Yet many individuals with physical or intellectual disabilities have language limitations that prevent them from using speech as their primary mode of communication For these individuals assistive communication technologies augmentative and alternative communication offer an important set of supports for realizing this critical human right
Although augmentative and alternative communication is widely-used and evidence-based there are particular challenges in designing augmentative and alternative communication for individuals with visual and concomitant motor impairments Unlike spoken language in much of aided augmentative and alternative communication the vocabulary items are visual letters words symbols and only a limited number of items can be displayed at a time since they must be presented on an external device such as a tablet or a dedicated device To maximize available vocabulary clinicians often place many symbols onto the small display Although this strategy can be useful for some people - and does maximize vocabulary visible on any given page - it is a substantial problem for individuals with visual impairments who cannot either see ocular or process cortical the visual information In addition access to these vocabulary items often involves use of a finger or eye gaze to select a symbol or a limb to activate a switch These types of repetitive selections may be difficult and fatiguing for individuals with motor disabilities As a consequence traditional methods of accessing augmentative and alternative communication that work for other individuals are selectively more difficult for those with visual impairment and motor disabilities There is an urgent need to develop augmentative and alternative communication technologies that reduce the visual and motoric burden for such individuals
This project seeks to substantially increase the flexibility of aided augmentative and alternative communication access in part through a reconsideration of the traditional distinction made between aided ie technology assisted and unaided ie body-based communication modes Aided communication modes offer the power of symbolic communication that is readily understood by many communication partners even those who are unfamiliar with the individual using augmentative and alternative communication However aided modes can be quite limiting in terms of the vocabulary available speed of message preparation environmental constraints and ability to support natural conversations Unaided communication modes on the other hand can involve a diverse range of natural movements that are well within the skill set of the user and can be rapidly produced with low effort The drawback of unaided modes is that they are often difficult for unfamiliar partners to understand thus limiting the range of potential communication partners and necessitating the proximity of a communication partner to the augmentative and alternative communication user to observe the body-based communication
Given contemporary technology it is both theoretically and practically possible to substantially increase access to aided augmentative and alternative communication by leveraging the ability of technology to sense and interpret unaided input ranging from natural air gestures to facial expressions andor other intentional movement patterns Harnessing unaided inputs as a supplemental means for access to technology will marry the power of the aided symbolic communication with the ease speed and unique movements employed by individual users In so doing it will shift the burden of access from the user at least in part onto the aided augmentative and alternative communication technologies themselves Indeed building flexible technologies that are tailored to the motor and visual skills of individuals with disabilities is well within the capabilities of modern devices and is an active area of research in Human-Computer Interaction and accessible computing
This project will test artificial intelligence algorithms that are capable of interpreting idiosyncratic individual-specific unaided gestures for augmentative and alternative communication access This proposed system is intended to be human-centered use-inspired and readily-programmed to empower both the user and their communication partners who may be involved in augmentative and alternative communication services The project will solicit individuals with a wide range of motor disabilities to ensure the algorithms are widely applicable
Although augmentative and alternative communication is widely-used and evidence-based there are particular challenges in designing augmentative and alternative communication for individuals with visual and concomitant motor impairments Unlike spoken language in much of aided augmentative and alternative communication the vocabulary items are visual letters words symbols and only a limited number of items can be displayed at a time since they must be presented on an external device such as a tablet or a dedicated device To maximize available vocabulary clinicians often place many symbols onto the small display Although this strategy can be useful for some people - and does maximize vocabulary visible on any given page - it is a substantial problem for individuals with visual impairments who cannot either see ocular or process cortical the visual information In addition access to these vocabulary items often involves use of a finger or eye gaze to select a symbol or a limb to activate a switch These types of repetitive selections may be difficult and fatiguing for individuals with motor disabilities As a consequence traditional methods of accessing augmentative and alternative communication that work for other individuals are selectively more difficult for those with visual impairment and motor disabilities There is an urgent need to develop augmentative and alternative communication technologies that reduce the visual and motoric burden for such individuals
This project seeks to substantially increase the flexibility of aided augmentative and alternative communication access in part through a reconsideration of the traditional distinction made between aided ie technology assisted and unaided ie body-based communication modes Aided communication modes offer the power of symbolic communication that is readily understood by many communication partners even those who are unfamiliar with the individual using augmentative and alternative communication However aided modes can be quite limiting in terms of the vocabulary available speed of message preparation environmental constraints and ability to support natural conversations Unaided communication modes on the other hand can involve a diverse range of natural movements that are well within the skill set of the user and can be rapidly produced with low effort The drawback of unaided modes is that they are often difficult for unfamiliar partners to understand thus limiting the range of potential communication partners and necessitating the proximity of a communication partner to the augmentative and alternative communication user to observe the body-based communication
Given contemporary technology it is both theoretically and practically possible to substantially increase access to aided augmentative and alternative communication by leveraging the ability of technology to sense and interpret unaided input ranging from natural air gestures to facial expressions andor other intentional movement patterns Harnessing unaided inputs as a supplemental means for access to technology will marry the power of the aided symbolic communication with the ease speed and unique movements employed by individual users In so doing it will shift the burden of access from the user at least in part onto the aided augmentative and alternative communication technologies themselves Indeed building flexible technologies that are tailored to the motor and visual skills of individuals with disabilities is well within the capabilities of modern devices and is an active area of research in Human-Computer Interaction and accessible computing
This project will test artificial intelligence algorithms that are capable of interpreting idiosyncratic individual-specific unaided gestures for augmentative and alternative communication access This proposed system is intended to be human-centered use-inspired and readily-programmed to empower both the user and their communication partners who may be involved in augmentative and alternative communication services The project will solicit individuals with a wide range of motor disabilities to ensure the algorithms are widely applicable
Study Oversight
Has Oversight DMC:
None
Is a FDA Regulated Drug?:
None
Is a FDA Regulated Device?:
None
Is an Unapproved Device?:
None
Is a PPSD?:
None
Is a US Export?:
None
Is an FDA AA801 Violation?:
None