USA flag logo/image

An Official Website of the United States Government

VOICE-ACTIVATED PHONE FOR THE SPINAL CORD-INJURED

Award Information

Agency:
Department of Health and Human Services 		Branch:
N/A 		Award ID:
19164 		Program Year/Program:
1992 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
19164 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
Emerson & Stern Associates Inc
10150 Sorrento Valley Rd Suite 210 San Diego, CA 92121
View profile »
Woman-Owned: Yes
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 1992
Title: VOICE-ACTIVATED PHONE FOR THE SPINAL CORD-INJURED
Agency: HHS
Contract: N/A
Award Amount: $50,000.00
 

Abstract:

THE LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE OF THIS RESEARCH IN PHASE I AND PHASE II IS TO DEVELOP A SPEAKER-INDEPENDENT, VOICE-ACTIVATED TELEPHONE INTERFACE FOR USE BY QUADRIPLEGICS AND OTHERS, WITH THE INNOVATIVE CAPABILITY OF HANDLING SPEECH PRODUCED BY PEOPLE WHO REQUIRE VENTILATORS. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: (1) COLLECTING AND ANALYZING "VENTILATOR SPEECH" PRODUCED BY PEOPLE WITH SPINAL CORD INJURIES AT DIFFERENT PHASES OF REHABILITATION; (2) MODIFYING EMERSON & STERN'S EXISTING SOLILOQUY(R) VOICE INTERFACE SOFTWARE TO HANDLE BREATH-REALTED INTERFERENCE AND IGNORE NON-SPEECH INTERJECTINS, WITHOUT COMPROMISING SOLILOQUY(R) 'S CURRENT SPEAKER-INDEPENDENCE; AND (3) DETERMINING IF AN ADQUATE TELEPHONE INTERFACE CAN BE AFFIXED TO A HALO ORTHOTIC. THESE OBJECTIVES WIL BE MET BY (1) RECORDING RELEPHONE NUMBERS SPOKEN BY PATIENTS AT SHARP HOSPITAL'S REHABILITATION CENTER, (2) USING A SERIES OF IN-HOUSE SOFTWARE TOOLS FOR SPEECH ANALYSIS; (3) ITERATIVELY IMPROVIING SOLILOQUY(R)'S MICROPHONE RECOGNITION ALGORITHMS AND TESTING THE RESULTS; (4) MAKING SIMILAR CHANGES TO TELEPHONE-BASED ALGORITHMS; AND (5) TESTING A CERVICAL ORTHOSIS-MOUNTED PHONE INTERFACE. OTHER VOICE-ACTIVATED PHONES ARE SPEAKER-DEPENDENT, REQUIRING USERS TO "RE-TRAIN" THE SYSTEM EVERY TIME THEIR VOICE CHANGES. NO OTHER SYSTEM HAS SOLILOQUY(R)'S LINGUISTIC ABILITY TO IGNORE A NON-SPEECH SOUND BY TREATING IT AS EXTRANEOUS SPEECH.

Principal Investigator:

Sandra E Hutchins
6194572526

Business Contact:

Small Business Information at Submission:

Emerson And Stern Associates
10150 Sorrento Valley Rd San Diego, CA 92121

EIN/Tax ID:
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees: N/A
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No