Background: 

In most countries, speech therapy is considered outside the cover of social security, meaning millions of people cannot afford treatment. 

Samsung created an accessible and free technological solution to give the full power of fluent speech and communication to not just the thoughts of 500.000 Spanish with speech disorders, (including those resulting from Alzheimer's, stroke, dementia, ALS, stuttering) but also to the more than 100 millions worldwide that are held back in life due to speech disorders. 

Historically, all causes of speech disorder had been dealt with independently. However, after thorough investigation, we discovered a globally common treatment for all disorders: rhythm therapy. More specifically, rhythm therapy is a proven speech therapy technique that stimulates pace, an unspoken and universal language we all understand from birth. 

In clinical conditions, therapists use an analog metronome to create a subconscious beat in the brain to improve linguistic fluency. Impulse uses the simple haptic feedback of it’s mobile and wearable devises combined with sophisticated AI to augment this crucial and missing faculty within all people with speech disorders. The result is a human x tech evolution that democratizes the only proven treatment, resulting in a fundamental change for millions ignored by national health systems.

Objective: 

Democratize. Through the use of technologies takes the proven rhythm therapy method out of the specialists’ clinic and into the real world, enabling people to have an invisible speech therapist in their wrist. Create digital speech coach that offers personalized exercises to improve their speech problem with the Samsung devices tech.

Idea:  

Impulse is a haptic speech therapy to help people with speech disorders. An Artificial Intelligence application for Galaxy Watch and Android tab/mobile devices to free speech and give their voice back to the 1% of the world population affected by this pathology. 

Through an algorithm based on Natural Language Processing, the app decodes and translates words into rhythmic vibrations allowing users to have an invisible and inaudible aid on their wrist, which helps synchronize the brain with the mouth. This multifunction app helps users in many situations through Voice assistance, AI speech coach and Rhythm & Tone exercises, all of them based on a subconscious tempo that activates neural impulses of language. 

Impulse is a digital therapy that takes users by the hand in their daily communication with their environment, giving them confidence and autonomy in any situation, no matter the language they speak.

Execution:

The execution of the idea had 5 phases: 

Phase 1: Development of Impulse, an A.I app to beat speech pathologies though a haptic metronome on the wrist that translates words into rhythmic vibrations. 

Phase 2: Testing of the application, designed by an international medical team (Speech Care), for +6 months on people with different speech pathologies. Impulse received a user-rating of 4.5/5. 

Phase 3: Impulse received the approval of the official Association of Speech Therapists (Spain & Portugal) and was then launched on Google Play and Galaxy Store. 

Phase 4: Three testimonial videos were launched based on people affected by different pathologies who tell how there are words that, more than blocking their speech, have blocked their lives. 

Phase 5: Impulse is actively expanding to other countries, in addition to offering the app in different languages. In fact, many speech therapists are using and recommending it.

Results:

After more than 6 months of testing and development were carried out in Spain, Portugal, Ghana, USA and UAE, the results are extraordinary: 

·Impulse has received the endorsement of Asociación de Logopedas de España & Sociedade Portuguesa de Terapia da Fala. 

·4.5/5 user rating proves the usefulness of the Impulse treatment, as confirmed by testimonials and evaluations from different profiles with speech disorders. 

·+100 speech therapy, speech therapy and audiology professionals in Spain and Portugal are already using this digital therapy with their patients (Speechcare, Stutter center). 

·Since the launch of the app at the end of March on download platforms such as Google Play and Galaxy Store, the news generated national and international media coverage, both in general media and specialized marketing and advertising. 

·Health professionals, associations and community members helped spread the news on social media with a very positive response from patients and therapists.

Additional info: 

Impulse is a digital treatment designed to address pathologies that are not covered by social security, with each session typically costing around €50, making it unaffordable for most of the population. Even families with financial resources face challenges, as waiting lists in private healthcare are increasing by 7% each year.

This intelligent tool is beneficial for anyone with speech disorders and those who seek to improve their speech fluency. Impulse is a Samsung app that serves as a prelude to the technological revolution we are going to experience in the world of medicine in the coming years. It offers an innovative therapy that, thanks to mobile devices, improves patients' lives at zero cost.

Impulse continues the work Samsung has done through its Technology with Purpose campaign. For more than a decade, the brand has developed over 30 projects, such as Unfear, Tallk, Blind Cap, and Dytective, with an investment of more than €25 million, all aimed at improving people's lives through technology.