AI-Powered Communication Solution for People Living with ALS Revealed at Lenovo Tech World

AI-Powered Communication Solution for People Living with ALS Revealed at Lenovo Tech World

Manila, Philippines, October 31, 2024 – On October 15, Lenovo and the Scott-Morgan Foundation (SMF) revealed a revolutionary AI-powered communication solution for individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other severe disabilities at Lenovo Tech World ’24. This scalable technology suite combines predictive AI, hyper-realistic avatars, personalized voices, and eye-gaze tracking to provide fast, accurate, and personalized communication. This innovation showcases the potential of generative AI in tackling accessibility challenges and advances the vision of delivering Smarter AI for All.

The solution integrates several advanced technologies: a circular keyboard interface designed by SMF and built by Lenovo, predictive AI from Lenovo, personalized AI voice replicas from ElevenLabs, hyper-realistic avatars from D-ID, and eye-tracking technology from IrisBond. This comprehensive setup aims to address the communication needs of people with ALS, a neurodegenerative disorder that typically leads to full-body paralysis.

Currently in active testing with SMF’s community and leading clinicians, the proof of concept builds on years of collaboration between SMF and Lenovo. By focusing on ALS, the project aims to develop solutions that benefit individuals with various diseases and disabilities.

Lenovo Tech World ’24 featured an emotional opening story of a father recently diagnosed with ALS using the new technology to tell stories and sing lullabies to his children in his own voice. This poignant demonstration highlighted the transformative potential of AI in addressing significant human challenges.

Linda Yao, Vice President of AI Solutions and Services at Lenovo, expressed the company’s mission: “This is Smarter AI for All: applying transformative technologies to the most pressing human challenges. With compassionate partners like the Scott-Morgan Foundation and a bold vision to bring AI to everyone, we are using our AI expertise to show how bright the future can be.”

The collaboration between Lenovo and SMF emerged from a shared mission to break down technological barriers and democratize life-changing solutions. LaVonne Roberts, Executive Director of SMF, emphasized the significance of this innovation: “We live in a world where over half a billion people are silenced, not by choice, but by disability. Imagine a world where even the most severely disabled individuals can fully express themselves.”

Erin Taylor, a disability advocate and botany enthusiast with ALS, used the technology to introduce Lenovo Chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang at Tech World. Taylor shared her renewed hope and strength due to these technological advancements, highlighting the emotional impact of speaking with a voice similar to her pre-diagnosis voice.

Lenovo’s development of the fully functional prototype, first unveiled at CES 2024, prioritized human-centric design and innovative user experiences. Daniel Pollock, Lenovo UX prototyper, emphasized the collaborative effort and the integration of powerful AI technology.

Traditional voice banking for ALS patients is a laborious process, often resulting in robotic and unemotional speech. However, recent AI advancements allow limited audio samples to generate compelling, on-demand AI voices. Mati Staniszewski, CEO of ElevenLabs, highlighted the importance of removing communication barriers and empowering individuals with personalized voices.

The avatar technology from D-ID, integrated into the solution, generates lifelike avatars from minimal media inputs. Gil Perry, co-founder and CEO of D-ID, underscored the social impact of using AI for good and promoting better connectivity for disabled individuals.

The complete solution runs on Lenovo’s ThinkPad x12 detachable PC, combining power and portability. IrisBond’s eye-tracking hardware and software, using the Hiru camera, precisely tracks eye movements, enhancing the user experience.

Eduardo Jauregui Torrecilla, CEO of IrisBond, praised the transformative potential of AI in assistive technology, highlighting the company’s history of supporting people with ALS and cerebral palsy. Andrew Morgan, CEO of the Scott-Morgan Foundation, emphasized the need to advocate for AI solutions that give a voice to those who need it most.

This AI-powered communication solution fulfills the vision of Dr. Peter Scott-Morgan, a pioneering roboticist who passed away in 2022. Scott-Morgan envisioned a revolution in assistive technology driven by AI, aiming to provide expressive and accurate communication tools for people with severe disabilities..