VESFA (Virtual Elaborated Semantic Feature Analysis)
Principle Investigator(s):
Niamh Devane, Katerina Hilari, Jane Marshall & Stephanie Wilson
Email:
Country:
London, UK
Funding Source:
Doctoral studentship from the School of Health Sciences, City, University of London
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Complete
Category:
Virtual reality
Brief Description:
The VESFA trial was a single-blind, phase II feasibility randomised controlled trial comparing usual care + elaborated semantic feature analysis delivered remotely in a virtual environment called EVA Park with a usual care control. Feasibility outcomes of this trial explored recruitment and retention, willingness to be randomised, compliance with and acceptability of the treatment and of the outcome measures. A range of outcome measures were used that explored word finding in picture naming and discourse, functional communication, language, mood and quality of life.
KeyPhone
Principle Investigator(s):
Victoria Fleming, Wendy Best, Wei Ping Sze, and team
Email:
Country:
London, UK
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
Use of orthographic cues in intervention with people with anomia.
Additional Comments:
Proof of concept was established in the 1980s by Carolyn Bruce, David Howard and team. This tech project builds on this and the results of a recent meta-analysis (Sze et al. 2021).
May also be categorised as AAC for some users. If there are others working on something similar, please get in touch.
Swaracharya
Principle Investigator(s):
Nisheeth Joshi, Pragya Kartyayan, Chitvan Mishra, Shefali Gupta
Email:
Country:
Banasthali, India
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), Augmentative and Alternive Communication, communication accessibility (e.g. text to speech feature), Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning
Brief Description:
The project helps in rehab of Aphasia patients who have difficulty in speaking. The system has brain training module for this. Since almost 80% stokes occurs in rural India, the existing tools become useless for such patients or their care-givers. This system helps by providing brain training via Web and Mobile Interfaces.
Face to face and telehealth equivalence of assessments in aphasia (FATE-A)
Principle Investigator(s):
Professor Katerina Hilari (Lead), Dr Nick Behn, Dr Sarah Northcott, Dr Abi Roper, Dr Niamh Devane, Amanda Comer, Jaycie Bohan. External collaborators: Dr Hortensia Gimeno, Dr Annie Hill, Dr Silia Vitoratou.
Email:
Country:
London, United Kingdom
Funding Source:
Phase 1 of the project is funded by City, University of London. Funding will be sought for phase 2.
Phase of Research:
Other
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Generic software (e.g. dictation software already available)
Brief Description:
The aims of the project are to: 1. Explore barriers and facilitators to the telehealth administration of key measures for people with aphasia post-stroke. (Phase 1) 2. Determine the equivalence of face-to-face and telehealth administration of these measures. (Phase 2) 3. Develop a toolkit of resources and training for clinicians to help with the implementation of telehealth assessment and outcome measurement. (Phase 3)
Additional Comments:
This project involves a psychometric study, qualitative research, user testing, and development of a toolkit of resources for online / via telehealth assessment and outcome measurement in aphasia. At the end of the project findings will be directly implementable to clinical practice.
Publications or resources:
Hilari K., Roper A., Northcott S., Behn N. (2023) Assessment in aphasia via telehealth: a survey of UK Speech and Language Therapy practice. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12996
Comer A., Northcott S., Behn N., Roper A. Devane N., Hilari K. (submitted) “What I thought was lost wasn’t”: Focus Groups exploring UK Speech and Language Therapists’ Perspectives on Telehealth Assessment. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders
Analyzing Communication Environments (ACE)
Principle Investigator(s):
Jennifer Mozeiko, PI; Louisa Suting, PhD student; 2 MA students; 10 undergraduate students
Email:
Country:
Storrs, CT, USA
Funding Source:
American Speech Language Hearing Foundation (ASHF)
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Generic software (e.g. dictation software already available)
Brief Description:
Understand variables contributing to an “enriched” communicative environment to optimize rehabilitation.
Additional Comments:
We are using technology to collect, process, and analyze language data.
Characterizing inner speech in aphasia
Principle Investigator(s):
Brielle Stark, Julianne Alexander (PhD student), team from NEURAL Research Lab at Indiana University
Email:
Country:
Bloomington IN, USA
Funding Source:
NIDILRR Switzer Merit Fellowship
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Complete
Category:
Generic software (e.g. dictation software already available)
Brief Description:
Explore the extent to which individuals with aphasia experience inner speech, and further characterize this phenomenon. We use experience sampling methods via a smartphone (push notification) or SMS (text) to do this.
Additional Comments:
We have intentions of creating a specific smartphone app to evaluate this phenomenon after this exploratory phase.
Publications or resources:
“Shabdchitr”: ILAT Digital Application (Hindi, English, and other Indian languages
Principle Investigator(s):
- Apoorva Pauranik. neurologist. 2. Pinky Singh, SLP. 3. N Sundaer, Computer Professional.
Email:
Country:
Indore,India, India
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
Shabdchitr is a Card Matching game based rehabilitation module to improve Speech – language and reading interaction skills. It works as a group therapy tool for SLP’s. Shabdchitr application is available as an executable (.exe) format on windows platform.
Additional Comments:
Salient features: 1. Expandable and scalable, i.e. a large number and variety of stimuli and playlists can be added and edited by the end users. 2. One SLP as an admin and upto four persons with aphasia and dyslexia/alexia can play the game across the internet. 3. The performance scores ( reaction times, error rates, error types) of participants are displayed in tabular and graphic formats over mutple sessions
A Digital compendium of Hindi-English Bilingual Home based Exercises for PWA.
Principle Investigator(s):
- Apoorva Pauranik, Neurologist. 2. Pinky Singh, SLP. 3. Soubhik Das , Computer Professional
Email:
Country:
Indore,India, India
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
- To create and make widely available a large and expandacle and scalable collection of diverse Home Based Exercises for Persons with Aphasia. 2, To eneble record keeping and report generation of the performance by the client.
Additional Comments:
Salient Features: 1. The computer professional will be providing a logical framework, wherein the clinicians as end-users will have many opprtunities to add and edit more stimuli and more types of exercises.2. The Home Based exercises are meant to be delivered by trained communication partners under supervision of SLP,. 3. The application will have facility for record keeping, score card and report generation across many sessions and many exercises.4. the exercises are based on cognitive neuropsychological model of spoken and written language, but also cover many pragmatic aspects
INCA (inclusive digital content for people with aphasia)
Principle Investigator(s):
Stephanie Wilson, Jane Marshall, Madeline Cruice, Abi Roper, Timothy Neate
Email:
Country:
London, UK
Funding Source:
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council + City, University of London
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
To research and prototype digital technologies that will support people with aphasia in creating and curating digital content
Additional Comments:
PNT-CAT: Computer Adaptive forms of the Philadelphia Naming Test
Principle Investigator(s):
Robert Cavanaugh, Alexander Swiderski, Stacey Steele, William D. Hula, Gerasimos Fergadiotis
Email:
Country:
Pittsbugh PA, United States
Funding Source:
NIH NIDCD
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
Disseminate a free, open-source computer adaptive version of the PNT for clinical and research use.
Smart-phone assisted langauge training (SaLT)
Principle Investigator(s):
PhD thesis: Mr. Rajath shenoy, Guide: Dr. Gopee Krishnan, Dr. Lyndsey Nickels
Email:
Country:
Manipal, Udupi, India
Funding Source:
Indian council of medical research (ICMR) Government of India (GOI)- Project title: Mixed reality in aphasia rehabilation (MiRaR)
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
PhD research on development and validation for people with aphasia in multilingual environment
Pupillometry and eyetracking to index cognitive and linguistic processing in people with aphasia
Principle Investigator(s):
Laura Chapman, Mohammad Haghighi
Email:
Country:
Springfield, MA, Boone, NC, Fayetteville, AR, United States
Funding Source:
Foundation funding now, previously NIH
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Assessment
Brief Description:
Harnessing the power of the eyes to reveal abilities and challenges not captured through typical assessment processes
Publications or resources:
See ResearchGate
M-MAT-tele
Principle Investigator(s):
John E Pierce, Miranda Rose, Dana Wong, Rachelle Pitt, Annie Hill
Email:
Country:
Melbourne, Australia
Funding Source:
La Trobe University, Stroke Foundation
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
Adapt Multi-Modality Aphasia Therapy for telehealth
Additional Comments:
Specific browser-based software developed with input from speech pathologists and people with aphasia. Pilot results manuscript (n=9), phase II testing in progress.
Publications or resources:
www.mmat.rehab
Personalising dose in cued picture naming treatment
Principle Investigator(s):
Sam Harvey, Miranda Rose, Michael Walsh Dickey, Marcella Carragher
Email:
Country:
Melbourne, Australia
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Complete
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
To investigate dose-response relationships in cued picture naming treatment
Additional Comments:
We built a web-app that allows a clinician to set up online cued picture naming therapy sessions. Functions include adding users (PWA), adding assets (pictures, audio files for verbal cues) and linking assets, selecting and allocating pictures to stimulus sets, and adjusting the amount of time the person with aphasia has to respond to cues throughout treatment. The experimental set up also allows for probe sessions and pre- and post-session subjective ratings of fatigue, motivation and task difficulty. The web-app can produce reports about sessions (timing data, subjective ratings response data, items probed/treated, etc) in excel/csv format.
Future plans include expanding web-app (items, users), allowing independent practice (free-use), and adding speech recognition to support independent practice.
Publications or resources:
VA11y (Videoconference Accessibility)
Principle Investigator(s):
Timothy Neate, Stephanie Wilson
Email:
Country:
London, United Kingdom
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), Virtual reality, Augmentative and Alternive Communication, communication accessibility (e.g. text to speech feature), Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning
Brief Description:
To design more accessible videoconference technologies for those with language impairments.
Additional Comments:
We are human-computer interaction researchers who work closely with SLTs and co-design technologies with people with aphasia. We have recently completed research which investigates the specific communication challenges faced by people with aphasia when videoconferencing. This is to be published at CHI 2022 [1]. We are currently working developing a project which will leverage recent technological innovations to complement videoconference, and support more effective total communication.
[1] -
https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/files/166216025/chi_no_copyright.pdf
Integrating complementary learning principles in aphasia rehabilitation via adaptive modeling
Principle Investigator(s):
William Evans, William Hula, Jeff Starns, Peter Brusilovsky
Email:
Country:
Pittsburgh, United States
Funding Source:
NIH NIDCD
Phase of Research:
Phase III - Efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), Generic software (e.g. dictation software already available)
Brief Description:
Increase the functional impact of established aphasia treatment by combining the benefits of complementary learning approaches through adaptive timing models
Additional Comments:
Submitting on behalf of Dr. Evans.
Measuring, Monitoring, and Motivating Adherence to Self-Managed Aphasia Treatment
Principle Investigator(s):
CIA A/Prof Sarah Jane Wallace The University of Queensland
CIB Prof David A Copland The University of Queensland
CIC Prof Janet Wiles The University of Queensland
CID Assoc Prof Anthony J Angwin The University of Queensland
CIE Assoc Prof Victoria Jane Palmer University of Melbourne
CIF Dr Peter Harold Worthy The University of Queensland
CIG Dr Anne Jane Hill The University of Queensland
CIH Dr Barbra H. B. Timmer The University of Queensland
CII Assoc Prof Matthew John Gullo The University of Queensland
Email:
Country:
Brisbane, Australia
Funding Source:
MRFF Cardiovascular Mission
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
Not sure yet
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), Generic software (e.g. dictation software already available), Augmentative and Alternative Communication, communication accessibility (e.g. text to speech feature), Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning
Brief Description:
We aim to empower stroke survivors with aphasia to successfully self-manage their long-term recovery through co-design, development, and evaluation of a novel mobile health smartphone application that motivates adherence to real-life, self-managed Comprehensive, High-dose Aphasia Treatment.
Zooming Great
Principle Investigator(s):
FIRLE Beckley, Kate Whiteman
Email:
Country:
Eastbourne, United Kingdom
Funding Source:
Through local community grants
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Improving social connectedness using tech
Brief Description:
To pilot whether we can get people with aphasia independently using zoom
Additional Comments:
This is a small scale pilot being carried out by FIRLE in her role within a charity called Say Aphasia
LAST-App for Acute Stroke
Principle Investigator(s):
Heather Flowers, Laura Monetta, Constance Flamand-Roze, Miguel Garzon, Susie Williams
Email:
Country:
Ottawa, Canada, Canada
Funding Source:
From a local research institute
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
To Undertake Beta Testing and Implement a Training Platform of a New Health-Tech Application for the Language Screening Test (called LAST-App)
Additional Comments:
Our app is based on the Language Screening Tool (LAST) developed for English (harmonized for Canadian, American, British, and Australian English) and French (European and Canadian French). The LAST-App is compatible with android, iOS, and web-based platforms (thanks to a year-long collaboration with software engineers). We are still seeking new international collaborations, but plan to undertake beta testing in Canada (with our grant funding).
The development of an application compatible with mobile device to support language, cognition, communication for clients with neurological language disorders
Principle Investigator(s):
Tolga Sözüçok (A Study for the requirement PhD / Doctoral Dissertation)
İlknur Maviş
Email:
Country:
Eskişehir/ Turkey , Turkey
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
to develop an application for auditory comprehension problems for for clients with neurological language disorders
PeerPAL- Digital Networking in Aphasia
Principle Investigator(s):
Project management: Prof. Dr. Norina Lauer & Prof. Dr. Sabine Corsten; research assistants: Christina Kurfess, Maren Nickel, Daniel Kreiter
Email:
Country:
Regensburg & Mainz, Germany
Funding Source:
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
Improve quality of life by conneting people with aphasia
Additional Comments:
Publications or resources:
Kurfess, C., Corsten. S., Nickel, M., Knieriemen, M., Kreiter, D. & Lauer, N. (2023). Peer-to-peer support: digital network-ing in aphasia to improve quality of life (PeerPAL) - study protocol for app development and evaluation. Frontiers in Communication, 8, 1187233.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2023.1187233
Aphasia iCafè interview project: Student-delivered online social support groups for people with aphasia and/or dysarthria- a qualitative investigation of members’ and providers’ experiences
Principle Investigator(s):
Dr Anna Caute, Annabel Kay, Erika Mangialardi
Email:
Country:
Colchester, UK
Funding Source:
British Aphasiology Society Initiatives in Aphasia Seed Fund grant
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Generic software (e.g. dictation software already available)
Brief Description:
The project will address the following questions: • What are the views of people with aphasia and/or dysarthria about taking part in student-delivered online social support groups? • What are the views of student speech and language therapists (SLTs) about delivering online social support groups for people with aphasia and/or dysarthria? • What facilitators or barriers did they experience? • What was the impact of taking part for people with aphasia/dysarthria and student SLTs?
KoLiPENs - Kognitive, linguistische und personenbezogene Einflussfaktoren auf das Schreiben (Cognitive, linguistic and personal factors influencing writing)
Principle Investigator(s):
Albrecht, Katharina; Jaecks, Petra; Jonas, Kristina; Stegenwallner-Schütz, Maja; von Lehmden, Friederike
Email:
Country:
Cologne, Germany
Funding Source:
Third-party funding
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
not yet finally decided
Brief Description:
The long-term goal of the KoliPENs project is to develop a digital diagnostic procedure for the area of written language in neurological writing disorders which a) covers the levels of the ICF (function, activity, participation), b) covers analogue as well as digital writing competences and c) covers written language discourse skills.
Mixed reality in aphasia rehabilation (MiRaR)
Principle Investigator(s):
Dr. Gopee Krishnan, Dr. Shivani Tiwari, Dr. Apoorva Pauranik, Dr. Aparna Pai, Mr. Rajath Shenoy, Mr Intiaz, Ms Sona
Email:
Country:
Manipal, India
Funding Source:
Indian council of medical research , Government of India
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Virtual reality
Brief Description:
to develop and clinical validated the newly developed Mixed reality application for persons with aphasia
Additional Comments:
Google form submitted by Mr.Rajath Shenoy on behalf of Dr. Gopee Krishnan, Manipal college of health professions, India
Therapy calculator for rehabilitation outcomes after acquired brain injury
Principle Investigator(s):
Dr. Swathi Kiran; Dr. Margrit Betke; Dr. Prakash Ishwar; Dr. Claire Cordella
Email:
Country:
Boston, United States
Funding Source:
Internal institutional funds
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning
Brief Description:
To use machine learning methods to predict recovery trajectory profiles following rehabilitation for ABI individuals with chronic disability
Assessing Communication and Clinical Effectiveness of Self-managed Speech-language therapy: a randomized control trial of a novel digital therapeutic in individuals with post-stroke aphasia (ACCESS)
Principle Investigator(s):
Dr. Swathi Kiran; Dr. Steven Cramer; Dr. Maria Varkanitsa
Email:
Country:
Boston, United States
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
To examine if a self-managed, at-home, personalized, and comprehensive (i.e., targeting multiple language domains) CT program will lead to greater language-based recovery gains compared to usual care and an active control
Virtual Groups and Computerized Therapy for Primary Progressive Aphasia
Principle Investigator(s):
Jessica D. Richardson, H. Isabel Hubbard, Christie Duhigg, Jordyn Sims
Email:
Country:
Albuquerque, United States
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
To determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of weekly virtual group meetings and daily computerized therapy for communication and life participation in persons with primary progressive aphasia
The impact of home-based computer therapy to improve speech and cognitive function during stroke recovery
Principle Investigator(s):
Janet Alexander MSPH; Patricia Zrelak PhD RN; Michelle Camicia PhD RN FAHA; Brian Theodore PhD; Kam Gardner CCC-SLP; Diana Storti MS CCC-SLP; Linda Heckenlively MS, CCC-SLP; Melissa Meighan DNP MS RN; Mai N Nguyen-Huynh MD MAS
Email:
Country:
Walnut Creek, United States
Funding Source:
Constant Therapy Health/The Learning Corp
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning
Brief Description:
Identify cost-savings options for patients with aphasia, e.g., utilizing digital therapeutics to reduce in-clinic visits
Additional Comments:
Technology is already commercialized
Development of a Free Online Interactive Naming Therapy for Bilingual Aphasia
Principle Investigator(s):
Chaleece Sandberg, Teresa Gray, Swathi Kiran
Email:
Country:
University Pk, United States
Funding Source:
American Speech-Language- Hearing Association Projects on Multicultural Activities grant
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
The purpose of this ongoing project was to provide speech-language pathologists who serve culturally and linguistically diverse populations with a freely available online tool for naming therapy in a variety of languages.
Publications or resources:
Social-ABI-lity
Principle Investigator(s):
Liss Brunner, Rachael Rietdijk, Emma Power, Melissa Miao, Petra Avramovic, Leanne Togher
Email:
Country:
Sydney, Australia
Funding Source:
icare NSW
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
Promote safe use of social media for people with ABI
Publications or resources:
https://abi-communication-lab.sydney.edu.au/courses/social-abi-lity/
Brunner, M., Hemsley, B., Togher, L., Dann, S., & Palmer, S. (2021). Social media and people with traumatic brain injury (TBI): A meta-synthesis of research informing a framework for rehabilitation clinical practice, policy, and training, American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 30 (1), 19-33, doi: 10.1080/09638288.2019.1685604
Brunner, M., Togher, L., Palmer, S., Dann, S. & Hemsley, H. (2021). Rehabilitation professionals’ views on social media use in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation. Disability and Rehabilitation, 43 (14), 1955-1964 doi: 10.1080/09638288.2019.1685604
Brunner, M., Rietdijk, R., & Togher, L. (2022). Training resources targeting social media skills: A scoping review to inform rehabilitation for people who have an acquired brain injury. Journal of Medical Internet Research, Apr 28;24(4):e35595.doi: 10.2196/35595.
Brunner, M., Rietdijk, R., Summers, K., Southwell, K., Avramovic, P., Power, E., Miao, M., Rushworth, N., LacLean, L., Brookes, A. & Togher, L. (2022). It gives you encouragement because you’re not alone”: A pilot study of a multi-component social media skills intervention for people with acquired brain injury. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 23 November 2022,
https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12806
interact-ABI-lity
Principle Investigator(s):
Leanne Togher, Rachael Rietdijk, Emma Power, Petra Avramovic, Melissa Miao, Liss Brunner
Email:
Country:
Sydney, Australia
Funding Source:
icare NSW
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
Communication partner training and education
Publications or resources:
Convers-ABI-lity
Principle Investigator(s):
Leanne Togher, Rachael Rietdijk, Emma Power, Melissa Brunner, Melissa Miao, Petra Avramovic
Email:
Country:
Sydney, Australia
Funding Source:
icare NSW
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
To improve conversations of people with acquired brain injury
Virtual reality for social communication
Principle Investigator(s):
Leanne Togher, Sophie Brassel, Emma Power, Andrew Campbell, Liss Brunner
Email:
Country:
Sydney, Australia
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Virtual reality
Brief Description:
To develop virtual reality assessment scenarios for social communication
Publications or resources:
Brassel, S., Brunner, M., Power, E., Campbell, A., & Togher, L. (2023). Speech-language pathologists’ views of using virtual reality for managing cognitive-communication disorders following traumatic brain injury, American Journal of Speech Language Pathology, 2S, 907-923, doi: 10.1044/2022_AJSLP-22-00077. Epub 2022 Dec 29
Brassel, S., Power, E., Campbell, A., Brunner, M., & Togher, L. (2021). Recommendations for the design and implementation of virtual reality for acquired brain injury rehabilitation: Systematic Review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23, (7), e26344, doi: 10.2196/26344
Communication partner training for health professional students
Principle Investigator(s):
Leanne Togher, Michelle Attard, Emma Power, Rachael Rietdijk, Lucy Lanyon
Email:
Country:
Sydney, Australia
Funding Source:
NHMRC CRE Aphasia
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
To provide communication partner training to students in health related fields
Phase III Development of a Valid, Reliable, Clinically Feasible Measure of Transactional Success in Aphasic Conversation: Modernizing Methods of Acquisition and Analysis of Discourse Data
Principle Investigator(s):
Jacquie Kurland, Polly Stokes, Anna Liu, Brendan O’Connor, Vishnupriya Varadharaju
Email:
Country:
Amherst, MA, U.S.
Funding Source:
NIDCD R21
Phase of Research:
Phase III - Efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
A combination of telehealth delivery and natural language processing (including some machine learning tools) for data analysis
Brief Description:
There are two specific aims, both of which involve technology in aphasia rehabilitation research. In developing a tool that can be used to assess transactional success in conversation, we are evaluating the use of natural language processing tools to automatically transcribe and analyze discourse text. In addition, all of the testing will be delivered remotely.
Additional Comments:
We have completed data acquisition, have a paper in press on the tool’s reliability and are drafting a paper on it’s validity. Since the advent of generative AI tools, we have also been investigating how to leverage large language models to assist with the analysis of story retelling discourse.
Publications or resources:
Kurland, J., Liu, A., Varadharaju, V, Stokes, P., & Cavanaugh, R. (in press, Aphasiology). Reliability of the Brief Assessment of Transactional Success in Communication in Aphasia. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02687038.2024.2351029
Kurland, J, Varadharaju, V, Stokes, P, & Liu, A. Preliminary Testing of Large Language Models’ Ability to Assess Main Concepts in Story Retelling: A Comparison of Human vs. Machine Ratings of Main Concepts. To be presented at Clinical Aphasiology Conference, May 2024. Waikoloa Beach, HI.
Communication Bridge: A person-centered Internet-based intervention for individuals with primary progressive aphasia
Principle Investigator(s):
Emily Rogalski, PhD, Angela Roberts, Phd, Alfred Rademaker, PhD, Darby Morhardt, PhD
Email:
Country:
Chicago, IL, USA
Funding Source:
NIA R01
Phase of Research:
Phase III - Efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
RCT
Remote administration of Combined Aphasia and Apraxia of Speech Treatment (CAAST)
Principle Investigator(s):
Julie Wambaugh, Lydia Kallhoff
Email:
Country:
Salt Lake City, United States
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Phase III - Efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Complete
Category:
Powerpoint
Brief Description:
To evaluate the effects of CAAST administered remotely
Publications or resources:
Accepted for publication in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology
“Lets talk” app for smartphone
Principle Investigator(s):
Merav Raveh Malka
Email:
Country:
Jerusalem, Israel
Funding Source:
Thru a non profit organization called Ezer Metzion
Phase of Research:
Phase IV - Effectiveness
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), Augmentative and Alternative Communication, communication accessibility (e.g. text to speech feature)
Brief Description:
To transfer the low tech communication aids with highly accessible high tech easy to use phone app
Additional Comments:
The app is being prepared in hebrew and Arabic. It is being developed by HILMA - high tech for the good of society. The app will be free to use. I am really excited to share it with the world and looking forward to hear about new technologies around the world!!
Sentactics
Principle Investigator(s):
Elena Barbieri
Email:
Country:
Chicago, United States
Funding Source:
NIH
Phase of Research:
Phase IV - Effectiveness
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
Treatment of sentence processing impairments in aphasia.
Assessment of anomia: Improving efficiency and utility using item response theory
Principle Investigator(s):
WIlliam D. Hula, Gerasimos Fergadiotis, Michael Walsh Dickey, Daniel Taylor-Rodriguez, Miranda Babiak, Hannele Nicholson, Cheralyn Ranjan, Stacey Steel, Andrew Womack
Email:
Country:
Pittsburgh, PA; Portland, OR., United States of America
Funding Source:
NIH/NIDCD R01DC018813
Phase of Research:
Phase III - Efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Framework that can be used for a range of assessment purposes.
Brief Description:
Develop a suite of psychometric tools for the assessment of anomia.
Additional Comments:
Given that this project is focused on assessment, the “Phases of research” do not align well.
Currently, our primary goals are to (i) disseminate a computer adaptive version of the Philadelphia Naming Test; (ii) develop a universal metric of anomia, linking multiple published tests, and (iii) create a computer adaptive test with hundreds of items for the assessment of both object and action naming.
Publications or resources:
Fergadiotis, G., Casilio, M., Steel, S., Fleegle, M., Dickey, M., & Hula, W. (in press). Item response theory modeling of the Verb Naming Test. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research.
Fergadiotis, G., Casilio, M. Hula, W., & Swiderski, A. (2021). Computer adaptive testing for the assessment of anomia severity. Seminars in Speech and Language, 42, 180-191.
https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0041-1727252.
Automatic Classification of Paraphasias
Principle Investigator(s):
Steven Bedrick; Gerasimos Fergadiotis; Alexandra Salem; Robert Gale; Mikala Fleegle
Email:
Country:
Portland, United States
Funding Source:
NIH/NIDCD R01DC015999
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning
Brief Description:
The aims include: (i) develop a series of NLP algorithms for automatically classifying paraphasias in the context of confrontation naming tests and discourse; (i) automatically identify paraphasias in connected speech; and (iii) predict the intended production of a person with aphasia when they produce a paraphasia.
Publications or resources:
Gale, R., Salem, A., Fleegle, M., Fergadiotis, G., & Bedrick, S. (accepted). Mixed Orthographic/Phonemic Language Modeling: Beyond Orthographically Restricted Transformers (BORT). Proceedings of the RepL4NLP, ACL 2023.
Casilio, M., Fergadiotis, G., Salem, A., Gale, R., McKinney-Bock, K., & Bedrick, Steven. (2023). ParAlg: A paraphasia algorithm for multinomial classification of picture naming errors. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 66(3), 966-986. DOI: 10.1044/2022_JSLHR-22-00255
Salem. A., Gale, R., Casilio, M., Fleegle, M., Fergadiotis, G., & Bedrick, S. (2023). Refining semantic similarity of paraphasias using a contextual language model. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 66(1), 206-220. DOI: 10.1044/2022_JSLHR-22-00277.
Gale. R., Fleegle, M., Fergadiotis, G., & Bedrick, S. (2022). The post-stroke speech transcription (PSST) challenge. Proceedings of the RaPID-4, LREC 2022, 41-55.
Adams, J., Bedrick, S., Fergadiotis, G., Gorman, K., and van Santen, J. (2017). Target word prediction and paraphasia classification in spoken discourse. In Proceedings of the BioNLP Workshop, 1-8.
Fergadiotis, G., Gorman, K., & Bedrick, S. (2016). Algorithmic classification of five characteristic types of paraphasias. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 25, S776-S787.
DOI:10.1044/2016_AJSLP-15-0147
Automatic Speech Recognition for Aphasic Speech
Principle Investigator(s):
Robert Gale, Gerasimos Fergadiotis, Steven Bedrick, Mikala Fleegle
Email:
Country:
Portland OR, United States
Funding Source:
NIH/NIDCD Administrative Supplement for R01DC015999
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Complete
Category:
Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning
Brief Description:
To develop an automatic speech recognition system for automatic transcription of aphasic speech in the context of confrontation naming applications and connected speech.
Publications or resources:
Gale. R., Fleegle, M., Fergadiotis, G., & Bedrick, S. (2022). The post-stroke speech transcription (PSST) challenge. Proceedings of the RaPID-4, LREC 2022, 41-55.
Home-based language therapy and transcranial direct current stimulation in pri-mary progressive aphasia.
Principle Investigator(s):
Meinzer, Flöel, Grewe, Binkofski
Email:
Country:
Greifswald, Germany
Funding Source:
German Federal Ministry for Education and Research
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), technology adapation (brain stimulation)
Brief Description:
We aim to facilitate access to effective treatments for patients with PPA by using technological aids that will allow us to treat the patients remotely, in their own homes (for details see comment below)
Additional Comments:
We will adapt a highly effective language therapy and brain stimulation program, developed by our group, in such a way that it can be executed via a tablet computer and a mobile brain stimulation device under close remote supervision by a therapist. The core of the program is a computer-based naming therapy, that will be combined with a training of communication strategies relevant for everyday life. A trained speech therapist will provide treatment via the internet. We will also work with the manufacturer of the brain stimulation device, to make it easy and comfortable for patients or their carers to administer the stimulation. The project has two main goals: (1) first, we will repeatedly consult with patients, their carers and patient advocacy groups to identify specific needs and potential barriers with regard to how assessments and therapy will be conducted. This information will be used to optimize the existing treatment program for home-based use and patients with primary progressive aphasia. (2) Subsequently, we will implement and test the procedures and technology in a small group of patients in their homes to find out how well their needs and wishes have been considered and make further adjustments, if necessary. With this iterative process, we aim to enhance adherence to this novel treatment program, its effectiveness and ultimately patient benefit.
Modulating stimulus intensity to improve clinical outcomes in aphasia treatment (MIDAS)
Principle Investigator(s):
Leora Cherney and Sarel van Vuuren (MPI)
Email:
Country:
Chicago, United States
Funding Source:
NIH - R01 (5 years)
Phase of Research:
Phase III - Efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
An RCT to investigate stimulus repetition and stimulus distribution as factors that modulate dose and intensity of treatment.
Additional Comments:
The goal is not to assess the technology - but we are using the technology to facilitate the study. As we have written in the grant - we use a script treatment (AphasiaScripts) that has experimental support regarding its efficacy, and that allows the manipulation of the two variables under study, stimulus practice distribution and stimulus repetition. To ensure independence and fidelity, treatment is provided in a controlled computer environment (desktop and tablet). To avoid clinician-related variables such as expertise and personality factors that may influence treatment, sentences are modeled during treatment by an anthropomorphic agent with high visual speech intelligibility and affective expressions.
Improving electronic written communication in persons with aphasia: A clinical trial
Principle Investigator(s):
Leora Cherney (PI).
Email:
Country:
Chicago, United States
Funding Source:
3 year federal grant from NIDILRR (National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research)
Phase of Research:
Phase III - Efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
Aims are to: 1) evaluate the efficacy of computer-based texting treatment for improving written communication in persons with aphasia and 2) assess the extent to which improvements in electronic written communication impact social connectedness and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).
Additional Comments:
The computer software in this study is an expansion of our ORLA treatment that adds a writing component - which has then been further adapted to target texting
Timing of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with speech and language therapy (SLT) : An Intervention Development Study for Aphasia
Principle Investigator(s):
Leora Cherney, Sameer Ashaie
Email:
Country:
Chicago, United States
Funding Source:
Federal grant from NIDILRR (3 year grant)
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), tDCS (brain stimulation technology)
Brief Description:
To conduct a randomized clinical trial in individuals with aphasia that compares the differential effects of tDCS delivered prior to, concurrent with, and following SLT.
Additional Comments:
Use of technology is two-fold: 1) tDCS and 2) the aphasia treatment that is provided before, during or after the tDCS, is provided by ciomputer and is AphasiaScripts.
N/A - there are technology tools that we are using across multiple projects to measure outcomes
Principle Investigator(s):
Leora Cherney, Sameer Ashaie
Email:
Country:
Chicago, United States
Funding Source:
Projects may or may not be funded - but we have exploratory aims for objectively measuring relevant behaviors
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Measurement tools
Brief Description:
To identify novel ways to measure behaviors in the lab and in the real world environment
Additional Comments:
Across various treatment studies, we are exploring the use of eye tracking, heart rate variability, laryngeal sensors, GPS, EEG, and resting state MRI as measures of change from pre to post treatment.
Communication Access and Participation Through Immersive Virtual and Augmented Reality Technologies (CAPTIVATE)
Principle Investigator(s):
Lucy Bryant, Bronwyn Hemsley, Emma Power, et al.
Email:
Country:
Sydney, Australia
Funding Source:
To date, through seed grants and internal grant funding at the University of Technology Sydney (Graduate School of Health Seed Grant, UTS ECR Development Grant, Faculty of Health Mentoring Grant)
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), Virtual reality
Brief Description:
The project aims to design, develop, and evaluate immersive VR and AR applications that enable adults with aphasia to practice their communication skills for social and occupational interactions. The project plan is to design and implement virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to improve communication access, and social and economic participation.
Additional Comments:
Others have been involved across various stages and arms of this research, including: UTS researchers (Peter Stubbs (physio), Vincent Nguyen (orthoptics), Benjamin Bailey (speech pathology), Andrew Bluff (visualization and animation)); UTS Masters of Speech Pathology students (Neira Sedlarevic, Henry Keegan, Clarisse Baker), and expert reference group members from industry, UTS, and NSW Health.
VoiceAdapt: Voice Adaptive Training for Older Adults with Aphasia
Principle Investigator(s):
Esther Kim (University of Alberta); Elizabeth Rochon (University of Toronto)
Email:
Country:
Edmonton, Toronto, Canada
Funding Source:
Joint Programming Initiative - More Years Better Lives
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Complete
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
The purpose of the VoiceAdapt project is to develop and test the efficacy of an app designed using principles of User Centered Design (UCD) on the lexical retrieval abilities of people with aphasia.
Additional Comments:
Other consortium members based in Germany (Technical University Berlin; Nurogames - Cologne) and Austria (Austrian Institute of Technology)
Publications or resources:
Kim, E. S., Laird, L., Wilson, C., Bieg, T., Mildner, P., Möller, S., … & Rochon, E. (2021). Implementation and Effects of an Information Technology–Based Intervention to Support Speech and Language Therapy Among Stroke Patients With Aphasia: Protocol for a Virtual Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 10(7), e30621.
https://doi.org/10.2196/30621
TEleCHAT
Principle Investigator(s):
Annie, Hill, Genevieve Vuong, Jade Dignam, Clare Burns, David Copland
Email:
Country:
Brisbane, Australia
Funding Source:
QARC and initial support from CRE Aphasia
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
To investigate the usability, feasibility, acceptability and effectivelness of delivering CHAT via telerehabilitation (TeleCHAT)
Additional Comments:
TeleCHAT uses Zoom to delivery this ICAP. A wide range of tech features within Zoom are utilised to maximise participation of PWA and places most of the technology burden on the SLP.
CHAT-Maintain: Maintaining language and quality of life gains with low-dose technology-delivered aphasia therapy
Principle Investigator(s):
Jade Dignam, David Copland, Annie Hill, Miranda Rose, Deborah Hersh, Kirstine Shrubsole, John Pierce, Sarah J. Wallace, Emma Power, Kate O’Brien, Kat Roxas, Emma O’Neill, Kylie Short, Penni Burfein, Jessica Campbell (†).
Email:
Country:
Brisbane, Australia
Funding Source:
Stroke Foundation Lady Marigold Southey Aphasia Research Grant
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Generic software (e.g. dictation software already available)
Brief Description:
Aim 1: To evaluate CHAT-Maintain’s potential efficacy in maintaining language, functional communication and quality of life outcomes at 3 and 6 months post intensive treatment and feasibility. Aim 2: To evaluate the potential impact of CHAT-Maintain on communication activity, social participation, and communication confidence. Aim 3: To collaborate with people with aphasia and family members to iteratively improve CHAT-maintain.
Additional Comments:
Recruitment for this study has closed. Data analysis is underway.
Aphasia Tech Quest
Principle Investigator(s):
Jessica Campbell, Kori Ramajoo, Sarah J. Wallace, Sonia Brownsett, Peter Worthy, Jacki Liddle, Ciara Shiggins, Lisa Anemaat, David Copland
Email:
Country:
Brisbane, Australia
Funding Source:
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: ART Hub project
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Complete
Category:
Platform
Brief Description:
- Develop and describe a model collaborative design process involving people with aphasia, clinicians, technologists and researchers which may be used more broadly in rehabilitation sciences in future. 2. Explore person with aphasia experience of a collaborative design process, particularly accessibility of the event, aspects of co-production (e.g. perceived equality between participants and equal opportunity to decide goals and outcomes), opportunities for social connection, and likelihood of engaging in future collaborations. 3. Explore clinician, technologist and researcher experience of collaborative design process, particularly capacity to collaborate with people with aphasia in future. 4. Explore a collaborative design process as a way of increasing public awareness of aphasia within and externally to UQ.
Technology access service priorities of people with aphasia, significant others, and healthcare providers
Principle Investigator(s):
Annie Hill, Sonia Brownsett, Kori Ramajoo, Jessica Campbell, Sarah J. Wallace, Jade Dignam, Kirstine Shrubsole, Peter Worthy, Jacki Liddle, David Copland,
Email:
Country:
Brisbane, Australia
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Generic software (e.g. dictation software already available)
Brief Description:
Phase I: This phase aims to determine consumer priorities for services that would support access to technology in a sample of Queensland people with aphasia, significant others of people with aphasia, and healthcare providers treating people with aphasia. Phase 2: This phase aims to investigate consumer priorities more closely by exploring individual goals of people with aphasia related to accessing technology to work on communication or life participation goals, determine individual consumer preferences for receiving technology-related services, and understand the acceptability and goal attainment outcomes of receiving support, advice and consultation from a speech pathologist and/or supervised speech pathology students.
Aphasia App - Hospital
Principle Investigator(s):
Miranda Rose, Marcella Carragher, Robyn O’Halloran, Edwina Lamborn
Email:
Country:
Melbourne, Australia
Funding Source:
La Trobe University Research Support Grant
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
To develop and test an app aimed at improving healthcare communication in hospital
Aphasia App - Community
Principle Investigator(s):
Miranda Rose, Robyn O’Halloran, Kylie Casey
Email:
Country:
Melbourne, Australia
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
To develop and test an app aimed at improving healthcare communication in the community for people with aphasia
Communication Connect
Principle Investigator(s):
Miranda Rose, Damminda Alahakoon, Ian Kneebone, Brooke Ryan, Emma Power, Annie Hill, Leanne Togher, Tim Usherwood, David Copland, Richard Lindley, John E Pierce…
Email:
Country:
Melbourne, Australia
Funding Source:
National Health and Medical Research Council Ideas Grant
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning
Brief Description:
To develop and test applications of artificial intelligence to support people living with aphasia in the long-term.
Additional Comments:
Communication Connect is a comprehensive online platform containing self-management resources, education, carer support, training and intervention resources for three key user groups – people with communication disability (from stroke or brain injury), carers, and health professionals working with this population. Communication Connect is underpinned by an artificial intelligence-enabled data management and resources platform.
We co-designed Communication Connect with key groups including:
1. people with lived experience of communication disability,
2. family/carers,
3. health professionals including general practitioners, healthcare staff and policy makers from three sites (Bendigo, Brisbane and Sydney)
Co-designers shared challenges of discharge, rehabilitation and long-term management of communication disability from stroke and brain injury before prioritising 15 challenges for Communication Connect to target. Communication Connect contains three portals with resources for these three groups.
Publications or resources:
twitter.com/CommunConnect
Social Brain Toolkit
Principle Investigator(s):
Professor Leanne Togher, Dr Rachael Rietdijk, Professor Emma Power, Dr Melissa Brunner, Dr Petra Avramovic, Dr Sophie Brassel
Email:
Country:
Sydney, Australia
Funding Source:
icare NSW
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
To develop and pilot online resources aimed at supporting more successful interactions after acquired brain injury
Publications or resources:
LINK TO RESOURCES:
https://abi-communication-lab.sydney.edu.au/social-brain-toolkit/
PUBLICATIONS:
Avramović, P., Rietdijk, R., Kenny, B., Power, E., & Togher, L. (2023). Developing a digital health intervention for Conversation Skills After Brain Injury (convers-ABI-lity) using a collaborative approach: mixed methods study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, e45240. https://doi.org/10.2196/45240
Brunner, M., Rietdijk, R., Summers, K., Southwell, K., Avramovic, P., Power, E., Miao, M., Rushworth, N., MacLean, L., Brookes, A-M., Togher, L. (2022). “It gives you encouragement because you’re not alone”: A pilot study of a multi-component social media skills intervention for people with acquired brain injury. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12806
Brunner, M., Rietdijk, R., Power, E., Avramovic, P., Miao, M., Rushworth, N., MacLean, L., Brookes, A-M., Togher, L. (2022). Developing social-ABI-lity: an online course to support safe use of social media for connection after brain injury. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_AJSLP-22-00099
Miao, M., Power, E., Rietdijk, R., Debono, D., Brunner, M., Salomon, A., Mcculloch, B., Wright, M.R., Welsh, M., Tremblay, B., Rixon, C., Williams, L., Morrow, R., Evain, J., & Togher, L. (2022). Coproducing knowledge of the implementation of complex digital health interventions for adults with acquired brain injury and their communication partners: Protocol for a mixed methods study. JMIR Research Protocols, 11(1), e35080. https://doi.org/10.2196/35080
Miao, M., Power, E., Rietdijk, R., Togher, L., Brunner, M., & Debono, D. (2021). A web-based service delivery model for communication training after brain injury: Protocol for a mixed methods, prospective, hybrid type 2 implementation-effectiveness study. JMIR Research Protocols, 10(12), e31995. https://doi.org/10.2196/31995
Miao, M., Power, E., Rietdijk, R., Brunner, M., Togher, L., & Debono, D. (2021). The Social Brain Toolkit: Implementation considerations from the development of a suite of novel online social communication training programs for adults with acquired brain injury and their communication partners. Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology, 23(2), 75-80.
WRITE-IT
Principle Investigator(s):
Dr Celia Woolf (Project Lead) and Co-investigators Dr Madeline Cruice and Morganie Naidoo
Email:
Country:
LONDON, United Kingdom
Funding Source:
School Pump Priming Grant
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Generic software (e.g. dictation software already available)
Brief Description:
WRITE-IT will explore feasibility of delivering technology-enhanced group therapy for writing impairments after stroke remotely over Zoom.
Additional Comments:
We start in August 2022 for 12 months. The project is small scale recruiting N=8 people with aphasia.
MARS: ROJECT: Exploring initial feasibility of MARS: A LUNA-TherapyBox collaboration MARS: Machine learning Analysis and Reporting of Spoken personal stories
Principle Investigator(s):
Dr Madeline Cruice, Dr Lucy Dipper, Rebecca Bright, Swapnil Gudgil
Email:
Country:
LONDON, United Kingdom
Funding Source:
Health Education England internal university Participatory Research Funding call
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning
Brief Description:
the aims of this small-scale participatory research project are to: 1. scope speech therapists’ interest and demand in MARS for patients with aphasia across the stroke rehabilitation pathway (acute, inpatient, early supported discharge, and community) 2. explore speech therapists’ potential uses of and training needs in using MARS 3. identify the likely benefits of MARS to speech therapists and the indirect benefit to clients with aphasia (i.e., reduces barriers to discourse work and so they will do it more); and 4. explore the perspectives (reactions and opinions) of stroke survivors with aphasia (and potentially family members) to using MARS
Additional Comments:
MARS is a small scale (£5k) collaboration between LUNA at City, University of London and TherapyBox. TherapyBox has developed an automated system for recording, transcribing, and analysing typical and atypical speech in children with language disorder [see
https://www.languageexplorer.app/], which has easy transferable application to atypical speech in adults with aphasia. This application is referred to as MARS and would incorporate the specific LUNA discourse analyses as well as explore stakeholders’ additional ideas. The LUNA-TherapyBox collaboration brings together expertise in machine learning, general and specialist UX with this clinical population, theoretical and applied clinical linguistics, and current knowledge of national therapist practice and behaviour.
Strategies to Accommodate Reading in Aphasia: Using Assistive Technology to Support Reading by People with Aphasia
Principle Investigator(s):
Kelly Knollman Porter, Sarah E. Wallace, Karen Hux, Jessica Brown
Email:
Country:
Pittsburgh, PA, United States
Funding Source:
NIDCD 1R15DC015579-01A1
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Complete
Category:
Generic software (e.g. dictation software already available)
Brief Description:
Our goal is to test the effectiveness of using and adjusting key TTS features to help people with aphasia independently read everyday texts of interest and value to them.
Publications or resources:
Knollman-Porter, K., Bevelhimer, A., Hux, K., Wallace, S.E., Hughes, M., Brown., J. (2023). Eye fixation behaviors and processing time of people with aphasia and neurotypical adults when reading narratives with and without text-to-speech support. Journal of Speech-Language-Hearing Research, 66(1), 276-295. doi: 10.1044/2022_JSLHR-22-00298
Knollman-Porter, K., Hux, K., Wallace, S. E., Pruitt, M., Hughes, M. R., & Brown, J. A. (2022). Comprehension, processing time, and modality preferences when people with aphasia and neurotypical healthy adults read books: A Pilot Study. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 31(6), 2569-2590. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_AJSLP-22-00121
Wallace, S.E., Patterson, J., Knollman-Porter, K., Purdy, M., & Coppens, P. (2022) (2023). Auditory comprehension treatment for aphasia: A scoping review. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 31(5S), 2404-2420. doi: 10.1044/2022_AJSLP-21-00297
Knollman-Porter, K.P., Brown, J., Hux, K., Wallace, S.E., & Crittenden, A. (2022). Reading comprehension and processing time when people with aphasia use text-to-speech technology with personalized supports and features. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 31(1), 342-358. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_ajslp-21-00182
Wollersheim, M., Brown, J.A., Hux, K., Knollman-Porter, K., & Wallace, S.E. (2021). Effects of repeated exposure to synthetic and digitized natural speech by individuals with aphasia. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 6(3), 581–595. https://doi.org/10.1044/2021_persp-20-00211
Wallace, S.E., Hux, K., Knollman-Porter, K., Brown. J.A., Parisi, E., & Cain, R. (2021). Reading behaviors and text-to-speech technology perceptions of people with aphasia. Assistive Technology, 34(5), 599-610. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400435.2021.1904306
Hux, K., Wallace, S.E., Brown, J.A., & Knollman-Porter, K. (2021). Perceptions of people with aphasia about supported reading with text-to-speech technology: A convergent mixed methods study. Journal of Communication Disorders, 91(May-June), 106098. doi: 10.1016/j.jcomdis.2021.106098
Brown, J.A., Knollman-Porter, K., Hux, K., Wallace, S.E., & Deville, C. (2020). Effect of digital highlighting on reading comprehension given text-to-speech technology for people with aphasia. Aphasiology, 35(2), 200-221. https://doi.org/10.1080/02687038.2020.1787728
Hux, K., Brown, J., Wallace, S.E., Knollman-Porter, K., Saylor, A., & Lapp, E. (2020). Effect of text-to-speech rate on reading comprehension by people with aphasia. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 29(1), 168-184. https://doi.org/10.1044/2019_AJSLP-19-00047
Knollman-Porter, K., Wallace, S.E., Brown, J.A., Hux, K., Hoagland, B.L., & Ruff, D.R. (2019). Effects of written, auditory, and combined modalities on comprehension by people with aphasia. American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, 28, 1206-1221.
Wallace, S.E., Knollman-Porter, K., Brown, J.A., & Hux, K. (2019). Narrative comprehension by people with aphasia given single versus combined modality presentation. Aphasiology, 33, 731-754. doi: 10.1080/02687038.2018.1506088
Improving Home Program Practice for People with Language Disorders after Stroke
Principle Investigator(s):
Elena Donoso Brown, Sarah E. Wallace, Jamie Lee
Email:
Country:
Pittsburgh, United States
Funding Source:
Faculty Development Fund (Internal Funding)
Phase of Research:
Phase III - Efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific app (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
The purpose of the research is to understand how logbook recording affects home practice patterns of people with aphasia
Telepresence robots for the care and support of stroke patients (TePUS)
Principle Investigator(s):
Prof. Dr. Karsten Weber, Prof. Dr. Sonja Haug, Prof. Dr. Norina Lauer, Prof. Dr. Christa Mohr, Prof. Dr. Andrea Pfingsten, Prof. Dr. Georgios Raptis, Edda Currle, Katrin Ettl, Dr. Debora Frommeld, Nina Greiner, Natalie Kudienko, Christof Popp, Anselm Stadler
Email:
Country:
Regensburg, Germany
Funding Source:
Bavarian State Ministry of Health and Care
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Complete
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), Generic software (e.g. dictation software already available)
Brief Description:
In this interdisciplinary project in the funding line “DeinHaus 4.0”, the home-based use of telepresence robots for care and therapy (speech and language therapy and physiotherapy) is being researched. The focus is on the improvement of quality of life, communication and mobility as well as the investigation of the acceptance of telepresence robots in the context of teletherapy.
Additional Comments:
The project is carried out at the Regensburg Center of Health Sciences and Technology (RCHST) of the OTH Regensburg (2019-2023)
Publications or resources:
https://www.tell-teletherapie.de/ Konzeption und Entwicklung einer Plattform zur Telediagnostik und Teletherapie bei neurogenen Sprachstörungen – teletherapeutisches lebensgeschichtliches Erzählen zur Steigerung von Lebensqualität (TELL)
Principle Investigator(s):
Prof.in Dr. Sabine Corsten, Catholic University of Apllied Sciences Mainz, Germany
Prof.in Dr. Juliane Leinweber, Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaft und Kunst Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen; Germany
Dr. Jürgen Keller, RELIMETRICS GmbH, Berlin, Germany
Farid Kanbari, POLAVIS GmbH, Berlin; Germany
Email:
Country:
Berlin, Germany
Funding Source:
Federal Ministry of Education and Research
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
Conception and development of a platform for teletherapy for telling life stories to increase
quality of life in aphasia
Additional Comments:
Additional locations: Mainz, Göttingen
APP4PPA: Online Speech-language Therapy in Italian individuals with Primary Progressive Aphasia
Principle Investigator(s):
Petronilla Battista, Stephanie Grasso, Maya Henry, Maria Luisa Gorno Tempini
Email:
Country:
Bari, Italy
Funding Source:
Alzheimer’s Assocation, GBHI Pilot Awards
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
We aim to provide remote speech and language therapy to treat language impairment associated with Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA). The purpose of this study is also to develop a new web-based platform that will assist Speech and Language therapists during individualized language intervention.
Publications or resources:
Plug-In and Power-Up: Boosting Health Self-Efficacy through Communication-Accessible Online Environments
Principle Investigator(s):
Sarah Wallace, Peter Worthy, David Copland, Kirstine Shrubsole, Kim Barron, Phil Jamieson, Annie Hill, Janet Wiles, Alex Haslam, Sonia Brownsett
Email:
Country:
Brisbane, Australia
Funding Source:
UQ Foundation Research Excellence Awards
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
Not sure yet
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning
Brief Description:
To co-design a novel web plug-in that re-renders websites to make them accessible to people with communication disability.
Using a digital spelling aid to improve writing in persons with post-stroke aphasia: An intervention study
Principle Investigator(s):
Dr Charlotte Johansson Malmeling, Dr Malin Antonsson, Professor Åsa Wengelin
Email:
Country:
Gothenburg, Sverige
Funding Source:
Swedish Research Council, The Swedish Stroke Foundation, The Swedish Aphasia Association
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Complete
Category:
Software developed for developmental reading- and writing difficulties
Brief Description:
The aim was to investigate what impact training to use a computerised
spell checker had on text writing in persons with aphasia.
Additional Comments:
The software is commercially available
Publications or resources:
Johansson-Malmeling, C., Wengelin, Å., Antonsson, M. & Henriksson, I. (2022). Using a digital spelling aid to improve writing in personswith post-stroke aphasia: An intervention study. International journal of language and communication disorders, available online DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12591
Utilization of Immersive Virtual Reality in Computerized Script Training for People With Aphasia: A Feasibility Study
Principle Investigator(s):
Dr. Winsy Wong, Dr. Donald Li
Email:
Country:
Hong Kong SAR, China
Funding Source:
University internal funding
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Not sure yet
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Virtual reality
Brief Description:
To investigate the effects of immersive virtual reality in rehabilitation of language and communication of individuals with post-stroke aphasia
Evaluating the SpeechFirst therapy app
Principle Investigator(s):
Michael Dean
Hannah Harvey
Email:
Country:
London, United Kingdom
Funding Source:
Tech4PositiveFutures, Capgemini UK.
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Complete
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning
Brief Description:
To evaluate acceptability and preliminary efficacy of a therapy application for remediation of spoken language deficits: ‘SpeechFirst.’ The app employs automatic speech recognition based in machine learning to provide feedback to the user on the accuracy of their responses. Exercises and materials are uploaded to each user’s device remotely, and results are accessible to the clinician remotely.
Additional Comments:
Study conducted at the UCL Communication Clinic, Department of Language and Cognition, University College London.
Publications or resources:
Bridging the Digital Divide: Building Health Self-Efficacy through Communication-Accessible Online Environments
Principle Investigator(s):
A/Prof Sarah Wallace
Dr Peter Worthy
Prof David Copland
Phillip Jamieson
Kim Barron
Prof Leanne Togher
Dr Kirstine Shrubsole
Dr Anne Hill
Prof Janet Wiles
Prof Alex Haslam
Dr Sonia Brownsett
Email:
Country:
Brisbane, Australia
Funding Source:
MRFF Consumer Led Research
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
Not sure yet
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), Generic software (e.g. dictation software already available), Augmentative and Alternative Communication, communication accessibility (e.g. text to speech feature), Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning
Brief Description:
We will work in partnership with people living with aphasia, health professionals and our partner organisations to iteratively co-develop a novel multi-component intervention called CAP Pack (Communication Accessibility Plug-in Pack). CAP Pack will comprise: (1) CAP software that re-renders website content to meet individual communication requirements and supports information-seeking through a recommender system; (2) a decision-making tool and training package that supports health professionals to customise CAP and train people with aphasia to use it; and (3) Guidelines for communication-accessible website design that increase knowledge and awareness of communication-access needs.
Principle Investigator(s):
Özlem Oğuz, Memik Yıldız, John Pierce
Email:
Country:
İstanbul, Turkiye
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
The aim is to adapt and culturally adapt the Online Aphasia Therapy Program, which includes different activities for many language modalities such as listening, reading, writing and naming, with a focus on the ‘sequential cue approach’ used in the therapy of individuals with aphasia into Turkish.
The CogNeuro App: A Novel Web-Based App for Neuropsychological Assessment of Impairments of Language
Principle Investigator(s):
Britta Biedermann, Max Coltheart, Deborah Hersh, Lizz Hill, Steve Saunders
Email:
Country:
Perth/ Sydney, Australia
Funding Source:
Tavistock Trust for Aphasia UK
Phase of Research:
Other
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), This will be an assessment app accessible from Desktops, Laptops, Tablets and Mobiles.
Brief Description:
Additional Comments:
While we try not to commercialise this app as we are envisaging to create an Open Access Tool (following the Spirit of the Open Science Framework) - we may need to commercialise it in order to pay for its ongoing maintenance.
Our vision at the moment is: The outcome of this project will be a co-designed OPEN ACCESS interactive clinical and teaching app that can be used in clinical settings and speech pathology curricula. It can be promoted freely to other educational institutions, nationally and internationally. It will also be a useful tool for students, clinical educators and clinicians in a range of language rehabilitation settings.
Publications or resources:
Dynamic Assessment of Everyday Communication using Virtual Reality: proof of concept for persons with post-stroke aphasia (DCOM-VR)
Principle Investigator(s):
Marina Ruiter, Vitoria Piai, Willemijn Doedens, and others
Email:
Country:
Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Virtual reality
Brief Description:
Rationale: Current evidence suggests that one in four Dutch speakers lives with brain damage. For many, an accompanying acquired language disorder, i.e., aphasia, significantly affects their ability to communicate in day-to-day life and their participation in society. To guide them towards communicative independence, diagnostic instruments are needed that provide insight into the communicative difficulties that are experienced in the real world.
Objective: The goal of this project is to develop a VR tool for PWA that simulates daily communication. The VR tool allows simulation of realistic communicative interactions between a person and a computer-generated avatar, including both verbal and nonverbal behaviour. The assessment of communicative performance not only is ecologically valid, but also highly controlled. Factors such as the level of support provided by the conversation partner (I.e., computer-generated avatar), background noise, the speed of conversation, and amount of interruptions, can be manipulated.
A pilot-study into the effectiveness of therapeutic app SimpTell for speakers with chrnoaphasia
Principle Investigator(s):
Marina Ruiter, Vitoria Piai, Ardi Roelofs
Email:
Country:
Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Funding Source:
NA
Phase of Research:
Phase III - Efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
This pilot-study investigates the effectiveness of SimpTell, a therapy app for people with aphasia. SimpTell is an acronym for Semi-independent Interactive Multimodal Production Training of ELLipses (in Broca’s aphasia). The app supports speech and language therapists (SLTs) in teaching Dutch-speaking persons with chronic Broca’s aphasia to produce reduced utterances (i.e., ellipses) to compensate for their sentence production difficulties. Ellipses resemble telegraphic style (e.g., ‘Stroke last year. Speaking difficult. Producing short sentences only’). The functional design of the app is based on the knowledge gained from previous research on executive control in compensatory language production (e.g., Roelofs, 2014; Piai et al., 2016) as well as studies into the (positive) effect of elliptical style on verbal functional communication (e.g., Ruiter et al., 2010; Ruiter et al., 2016).
Communication Bridge 3: A person-centered Internet-based intervention for individuals with primary progressive aphasia
Principle Investigator(s):
Emily Rogalski, PhD, Angela Roberts, Phd
Email:
Country:
Chicago, United States
Funding Source:
NIA R01
Phase of Research:
Phase III - Efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Not sure yet
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
By conducting this study, we aim to identify optimal intervention strategies for supporting individuals living with primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and their communication partners.
Additional Comments:
This project has moved from Northwestern University to University of Chicago
HiSSS - Hybrid and interactive speech therapy after stroke
Principle Investigator(s):
Klaus Kugelmann, Speechcare GmbH; Laura Tuschen, Fraunhofer IDMT; Prof. Dr. Juliane Leinweber, Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaft und Kunst Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen; Rolf Behrens, Bitnamic GmbH
Email:
Country:
Göttingen, Germany
Funding Source:
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
Yes
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
The project HiSSS aims to develop a hybrid & interactive format for speech & language therapy after stroke.
The core of the project is a web-based speech therapy care that integrates existing and innovative both synchronous and asynchronous therapeutic elements. The innovative elements include the automatic speech recognition (ASR) and automatic face recognition (AFR) via the sensors of the user device and the use of these analysis results in the therapy. All elements are part of a speech therapy interaction, which can be applied in face-to-face and video therapy, but also in asynchronous self-administered exercises.
Publications or resources:
UTILISE-2: a telerehabilitation app for sentence difficulties in post-stroke aphasia
Principle Investigator(s):
Professor Rosemary Varley, Dr Claudia Bruns, Kerry Dathan, Fern Rodgers, Dr Amir H Javadi
Email:
Country:
London, UK
Funding Source:
Research funding via The Stroke Association. Technical development via the UCL Therapeutic Accelerator Scheme.
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
Not sure yet
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
To evaluate outcomes, dose-outcome relationships, and participant views on a digital sentence therapy app named UTILISE (Unification Therapy Integrating LexIcon and SEntences).
Additional Comments:
We will explore potential for commercialisation if preliminary efficacy and acceptability are established.
Publications or resources:
- ISRCTN entry with link to OSF protocol: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN11888024
- Lab webpage with video about the research made by The Stroke Association: https://www.cognitionandgrammar.net/utilise
- Case series report investigating an early form of UTILISE: Bruns, C., Beeke, S., Zimmerer, V., Bruce, C., & Varley, R. (2019). Training flexibility in fixed expressions in non-fluent aphasia: A case series report. International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, 56(5), 1009–1025. https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12652
Optimising decision-making for aphasia therapy app use (OPTIMA)
Principle Investigator(s):
Dr Vasiliki Kladouchou & Professor Katerina Hilari
Email:
Country:
London, United Kingdom
Funding Source:
SHPS Pump Priming Funding, City, University of London, UK
Phase of Research:
Phase II - Feasibility, acceptability, preliminary efficacy
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery)
Brief Description:
OPTIMA aims to: 1) investigate available aphasia apps by reviewing existing evidence and 2) to explore current app-based therapy practices, including selection criteria, usage patterns, and support mechanisms, by collecting new data from SLTs. The outcome of this analysis will be a decision-making framework for SLTs to effectively select and recommend aphasia apps for people with aphasia to use to promote their aphasia recovery. Groundwork activities for establishing a hub dedicated to aphasia assessment and supported self-management rehabilitation will also take place.
Additional Comments:
The project commences in June 2024
Mood Tracker
Principle Investigator(s):
Achini Adikari, John Pierce, Nuwan Pallewela, Dana Wong, Ian Kneebone, Brooke Ryan, Nelson Hernandez, Trevor Bremner, Sue Bremner, Kim Barron, Damminda Alahakoon, Miranda Rose
Email:
Country:
Melbourne, Australia
Funding Source:
NHMRC Ideas Grant
Phase of Research:
Phase I - Proof of concept
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Specific software (mobile or computer software; including software designed for telehealth delivery), Artificial Intelligence/Machine learning
Brief Description:
An aphasia friendly mood tracking app to enable monitoring and management of negative mood
Additional Comments:
Currently finalising prototype development and will be testing in a pilot study later in 2024
HARP Aphasia Study
Principle Investigator(s):
Dr Anna Caute, Professor Vicky Joffe, Professor Reinhold Scherer, Dr Bundy Mackintosh, Mark Allinson, Leila Mirza.
Email:
Country:
Colchester, United Kingdom
Funding Source:
NIHR Research for Patient Benefit grant
Phase of Research:
Early development work
Plan to Commercalise:
No
Status:
Ongoing
Category:
Generic software (e.g. dictation software already available), Augmentative and Alternative Communication, communication accessibility (e.g. text to speech feature)
Brief Description:
The HARP Aphasia Study started in April 2024. The full title of the project is “Harnessing portable smart-camera technology to support the communication skills of people with aphasia”. The project is based at the North East London NHS Foundation Trust and is led by Dr Anna Caute of the University of Essex. The project is exploring how existing portable smart-camera technology can be used to enhance the expressive language and reading skills of people with aphasia. The project will start with a scoping review of the literature about the use of portable smart-camera technology in communication disabilities and rehabilitation. Then we will conduct a market survey of commercially available apps suitable for use in healthcare. In the second phase of the project, participatory health approaches will be used to design a novel intervention harnessing portable smart-camera technology. We will conduct a series of focus groups and workshops with people with aphasia and Speech and Language Therapists, and will develop a therapy manual for the novel intervention.