Grant: Idea to Innovation

Professionals working in the areas of speech therapy typically rely on traditional, form-filling methods to assess language development and speech disorders. There is virtually no modern technology to support their needs. Likewise, academic researchers in speech acquisition and language disorders must scaffold various devices and software programs to conduct their research. Only a few computer-based speech assessments are available, and they are limited to only a few languages (primarily, English); these assessments also mostly consist of digital renditions of form-based assessments, with no support for audio recording, automated measures, or data archival. In sum, there is currently no unifying technological solution to build speech assessments, run these assessments, and analyze the speech productions obtained from these assessments in a systematic or timely fashion. SpeechCatcher is a software program designed to create and run speech assessment tests used by speech therapists, language educators and academic researchers in the areas of speech acquisition and language disorders. Compatible with all mainstream desktop, laptop, and tablet computer platforms, SpeechCatcher will include algorithms for speech data processing and analysis which are readily compatible with the speech systems of all human languages, including the languages and dialects spoken by Indigenous and minority populations worldwide. Using SpeechCatcher, clinicians and academics will be able to quickly access, build or modify fully computerized speech assessments, run these assessments with adult and child participants (or clients) alike, record and process the speech data obtained from them, and extract reports needed to assess performance and/or identify markers of speech disorders. Because our algorithms for speech data processing and analysis are conceived to support the speech properties of all human languages, SpeechCatcher will offer a ready and unifying solution to the global market.