Harnessing AI to improve speech in young people with dysarthria

Dr Ruth Braden, an Early Career Academic in the Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, was recently awarded a 2024 Early Career Researcher Grant from the university. Ruth’s research project, titled ‘Harnessing artificial intelligence to improve speech in individuals with dysarthria’, will trial the use of a Google Assistant device to improve speech outcomes in children and young people with severe motor speech disorders. This project is supported by collaborators Professor Adam Vogel, Professor Angela Morgan, and Redenlab Inc.

Children and young people with dysarthria struggle to be understood by family and friends and can experience poor academic, employment and mental health outcomes. Despite this, there are limited evidence-based speech therapy options available for these age groups. Ruth’s research aims to address this gap, using readily available technologies and artificial intelligence to build effective therapy options that are engaging to children and young adults, cutting down the time and financial burden placed on families to undertake intensive speech therapy.