Speech Rehabilitation Interface for Tongue Motion Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies fail to address the challenges of providing effective and efficient rehabilitation for patients with speech impairments such as aphasia and dysarthria, particularly in the context of preparing the patient's inability to utilize the facial muscles to produce speech and often inability to exercise their affected muscles in between physical therapy sessions.
Innovation Solution
The system includes a controller box, which can be a self-contained embedded computer, with a screen or display, a speaker grid, control knobs and connectors for connecting one or more components such as a headset and monitor, and a headset and monitor. Internally within the housing of the controller box can be the preferred main embedded computer, a battery (though a wired version can also be provided eliminating the need for a battery), a speaker and other control and interface circuitry.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional speech therapy is performed at distant therapy offices or rehabilitation centers, then professional speech therapy can be provided, but patients can only undergo treatment for limited time and duration due to travel difficulty and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables patients to perform speech therapy at home using a portable device that provides automated feedback and guidance. The device includes a microphone to capture speech, a processor to analyze speech parameters, and a display to provide real-time feedback, allowing patients to conduct therapy sessions independently without traveling to external facilities.
2Measurement precision
If patients travel to speech therapy offices for treatment, then professional therapy can be received, but treatment is limited by travel difficulty and insurance constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The portable speech therapy device allows patients to receive therapy services at home, eliminating the need to travel to therapy offices. The device provides automated speech analysis and feedback, enabling patients to conduct therapy sessions independently at their convenience, thereby improving accessibility while maintaining therapy quality.
3Duration of action of moving object
If speech therapy is conducted only during scheduled sessions, then structured treatment can be provided, but affected muscles are not exercised during the majority of time between sessions
Solution Approach 1:
The portable device enables continuous speech therapy practice between scheduled sessions. The device includes a microphone to capture speech, a processor to continuously analyze speech parameters, and a display to provide real-time feedback, allowing patients to engage in therapy activities throughout the day rather than only during scheduled sessions, thereby extending treatment duration without requiring complex institutional infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method using a therapeutic electromechanical device to externally control movement for recognizing the tongue movements, vocalizations, and throat vibrations of a patient and converting them into words. The device can be activated by electromyography (EMG), electroencephalography (EEG), or through mechanical and/or optical methods. The force, speed of movement, limit of movement, duration of movement, and frequency of movement can be adjustable/programable/configurable. The device can be coupled with stimulatory and/or detection sensors and/or electrodes. The device can be used for performing mechanical movements with adjustable force and speed/duration of movement to remediate physical impairments. The system can continuously record the movement of the patient's tongue, vocalizations, and throat vibrations and extract small video segments. Each video segment can be analyzed by AI software or other configured software to match the specific tongue movements, vocalizations, and throat vibrations with a pre-learned reference word. Multiple recordings can be performed. The software/configured system can then translate the signals into speech.