INVITE
Research type
Research Study
Full title
INcorporating VoIce acTivated communication aids into Everyday communication
IRAS ID
316464
Contact name
Kate Fryer
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Sheffield (ScHARR)
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Dysarthria is a speech disorder resulting in speech that is slow, slurred and difficult to understand, limiting a person’s opportunities to study, work, and develop relationships.
People with dysarthria often use communication aids to help them to communicate creating spoken messages using a keyboard, touchscreen or joystick. Communication aids can increase independence but are often too slow to keep pace with normal conversation.
Developments in speech recognition technology have led to apps which can learn to recognise a set of words or sounds spoken by the individual with dysarthria, and connect these with a clear spoken output. Our previous research provides some evidence that these voice input communication apps may be faster than traditional communication aids.
This study aims to find out who can benefit from this technology, and what support they will need to use it successfully. This information can be used by professionals involved in providing communication aids, and will help us to plan further research into their effectiveness.
This research will have two phases:
1. 20-30 individuals with dysarthria will be asked to use a voice input communication app in their everyday lives for 6 months. We will collect information on whether VocaTempo improves their communication, and helps them reach their goals.
2. Focus groups will be held with professionals involved in providing and supporting people with communication aids, to understand factors affecting their ability to provide the support identified as needed in part 1 of the research.
We have a panel of communication aid users, who will advise and contribute throughout the study, for example, helping us to identify informal support networks to recruit participants from.
We will let people know about our findings through support groups used by people with dysarthria, publications read by people involved in providing communication aids, and academic papers and conferences.REC name
North West - Haydock Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/NW/0036
Date of REC Opinion
14 Mar 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion