#AI Seizure detection technology | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

magz · 1 year

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hi magz! I was wondering if you have any resources for free aac programs for android devices? even just an apk download would be fine, but my speech has been getting worse and worse due to seizures/neurological activity and I feel the need to be prepared. thank you so much (for everything you do!)

would recommend have more than 1 of try in case.

Also check notice pattern what other aspect language n speak have issue, so can choose app good !

(example issue: relation words to each other. remember what words. assign words and pictures.)

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) apps available Android device, here ....

text-based aac:

Spoken AAC ("less" feature in free version.)

have multiple decent basic voice in-built and text prediction. option for dark mode + large text (only 2 setting tho) + only speak sentence when finish or speak while select. symbol next to word look minimal symbol. It need email for account, but that all really.

Look To Speak

Google app, where select pre-written phrase with eyesight detection, n it read it out. pre-select phrase can be edit n added.

Just "Text-to-speech" :

Both lil bit wonky n rely on phone TTS voice. Both very simple, which strength n weakness. Are on F-droid App.

eSpeak.

TTS-util.

symbol-based AAC:

Coughdrop AAC (2 month trial)

classic-style symbol AAC, but with cloud and open source. Design kinda outdated, but alas.

Leeloo AAC (free version basic feature. but 3 day for premium trial)

symbol AAC with category type, modern-style design n more settings. Is intend for kids n is noticeable, n there multiple feature behind pay wall. Is however, decent for presets use, when not have energy / ability make own full sentence spontaneous. It have bit issue with big font setting though (default magz phone setting for visual aid)

AAC Cboard (mainly base on free iirc)

more streamline classic-style symbol AAC. Require CBoard account.

Big Text Communication:

Large Text: Banner Creator (better than "Make it big" app that have so many ads n intrusive) - make big text so other people can see. (can also make into image

Deaf Note

- type out message n will appear upside down if person at other side. have text-to-speech feature (what you "say"), and speech-to-text feature (what other person "say")

Different quality n different use case. Hope work for you.

Am bit difficult communicate this n make list.

#anonymous #ask post #o post #reference #accessibility #aac #android #response

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multi-muse-transect · 7 months

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Hazbin 2077 AU

Basically an AU where Cyberpunk and Hazbin are in the same universe and how the characters would look like if they were sinners.

V: Basically a grey anthropomorphic wolf and if they defeat and kill enough sinners they would most likely be like Alastor.

Jackie Welles: A Minotaur since he was bulked in life and in death. He was mad at first but like what Padre said-he left satisfied.

Johnny: Anthropomorphic goat in reference to the goat tattoo he ordered from that fixer. He still rocks with Kerry.

Adam Smasher: Literally the Dark Lord from Doom Eternal and is Vox’s enforcer. Borged up maniac in life and borged up maniac in death.

Panam: Maybe an anthropomorphic coyote or Jackalope cause she’s a Nomad and Nomad’s stick to the desert most of the time.

Judy: An anthropomorphic rabbit girl. The reason why rabbit cause they’re a symbol of innocence and while Judy was kind and followed the rules, it was all for nothing and she made the workers of Clouds’s lives worse.

Evelyn Parker: I can’t help but imagine she’d look like Catra from She Ra.

River: I’m thinking maybe an anthropomorphic German Shepherd or Bloodhound cause detective.

Kerry: I feel it would be like Mrs. Mayberry as in he looks like himself but just demonic looking and is a huge fan of Fizzaroli.

Song So Mi: Anthropomorphic bird with red eyes and can manipulate technology around her with powers that can give Vox a seizure. She also can summon wings made of rogue AI’s beyond the Blackwall and can create stuff from said rogue AI’s similar to the main character from Infamous Second Sun.

Takemura: I’m thinking perhaps he’s an anthropomorphic cat as a reference to the Bakaneko. Also he probably still has his cyberware.

Rogue: Anthropomorphic fox since she’s clever and cunning. She wasn’t surprised she went to Hell but still continued being a fixer.

Solomon Reed: Anthropomorphic wolf like V or jackal for that matter. Is most likely working for Lucifer now as his eyes when it comes to Hell or is now an assassin for hire.

Alex: Anthropomorphic chameleon and is an actress thanks to Vox but she hates working for him.

Kurt Hansen: Looks similar to Asmodeus or anthropomorphic dragon wearing his old outfit when he died and is a rival arms dealer to Carmilla.

Maine: Maybe looking like his old self and his cyberware but now has gray skin that has ash on it in reference to the explosion. He wasn’t surprised that he went to Hell after going cyber psycho and getting Dorio killed while endangering others.

Rebecca: Anthropomorphic raccoon ecause they tend to be sassy most of the time. She was beyond pissed that she went to Hell.

David: A cheetah since they run very fast in reference to his Sandevistan. Most likely built his pre chromed self or looks like his chromed self.

Pilar: Looks like himself but demonic.

Dorio: Anthropomorphic bear or looks like herself but with gunshot wounds now. Like Maine, she wasn’t surprised that she ended up in Hell.

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tritonmarketresearchamey · 3 months

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Epilepsy Devices Market: Tech Trends 2022-2028

According to the WHO, epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder that affects 50 million individuals, making it one of the most prevalent neurological conditions worldwide. It is estimated that with access to early detection and appropriate care, 70% of the population diagnosed with epilepsy may live seizure-free. According to our estimates, the global epilepsy devices market was valued at $669.73 million in 2021 and is expected to reach $1157.58 million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 8.16% during the forecast period 2022-2028.

Government institutions worldwide are focused on starting initiatives to create innovative epilepsy devices with AI and machine learning integration. Additionally, organizations that support research need to encourage high-quality comparative efficacy trials and sufficient data to guide therapeutic practice in epilepsy. As a result of these technologically advanced equipment and increasing drug trials, the market for epilepsy devices is anticipated to grow throughout the forecast period.

Epilepsy Devices - Key Detection Methodologies

Currently, several wearable technologies can detect seizures, collect data, and alert caregivers. Although with technological advancements, the ability to detect seizure-related alterations increases. Top trends backing this tech boom include:

Wearable devices are estimated to be the fastest-growing device type during the forecast period. Monitoring epileptic patients is crucial, as 20% of epileptics only have seizures while asleep, 40% only have seizures while awake, and 35% have seizures both when they are awake and asleep. With technologically advanced non-invasive wearable sensors, measuring accelerometry, photoplethysmography (PPG), electrodermal activity (EDA), electromyography (EMG), and other signals outside of the conventional clinical environment have become effective.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) has emerged as the fastest-growing application category. VNS Therapy has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an add-on therapy for age 4 years and above to treat drug-resistant epilepsy or refractory epilepsy. VNS has been reportedly beneficial in many patients, including the ones with posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE). PTE is a common consequence of traumatic brain injury and accounts for about 20% of symptomatic epilepsy cases.

As per estimates, Electroencephalography lead the detection and prediction devices type segment in 2021 and is expected to maintain its stronghold during the forecast period. There is growing interest in wearable or mobile EEG solutions that allow long‐term EEG monitoring in an easy‐to‐use format. Despite the availability of these new EEG solutions, their adoption is still limited in clinical practice, mainly because of the unfamiliarity of healthcare and biomedical research sectors with the technology and its application.

Strategic Initiatives and Government Approvals

Different end-users, such as homecare settings, hospitals, and clinics, are utilizing epilepsy devices. The manufacturers of epilepsy monitoring devices are likely to gain prominent business opportunities from the hospital & clinics segment owing to the rise in the use of EEG monitoring and emergency medical services.

The government authorities of several developing nations, including India and China, are focusing on developing sturdy healthcare infrastructure. As a result, operating players are expected to gain sizable growth prospects in the region during the forecast period. Owing to this, the Asia Pacific epilepsy devices market is anticipated to witness the fastest growth with a CAGR of 8.38% throughout the forecast period.

In addition, companies are also focusing on launching novel devices for children. Moreover, companies are also using organic and inorganic strategies, including mergers and acquisitions, to stay ahead of the competition. Some of these include:

In September 2022, Boston Scientific Corporation’s current-generation WATCHMAN FLX™ Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) Device received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to expand the instructions for use labeling. The company also received FDA 510(k) clearance for the EMBOLD Fibered Detachable Coil, which reduces the blood flow rate in the peripheral vasculature.

In July 2022, Medtronic PLC received FDA 510(k) clearance for its UNiD Spine Analyzer v4.0 planning platform to leverage machine learning.

In November 2021, NeuroPace, Inc. received an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) from the FDA to study the company’s RNS System to treat primary generalized epilepsy in patients aged 12 and above.

Way Forward

With technological advancements, epilepsy detection devices with exceptionally low false alarm rates have recently been developed. They are based on computationally intensive algorithms and employed in implanted systems for pre-surgical monitoring. Recent research has produced encouraging findings for probabilistic seizure risk projections using long-term wearable technology and electronic seizure diaries. The symptoms, mood, and cognitive function of an individual may also have predictive significance. Therefore, technological advances in non-invasive wearable sensors are anticipated to create growth opportunities for the epilepsy devices market.

FAQ:

Q1) What are the key end-users of the epilepsy devices market?

The key end-users in the epilepsy devices market include hospitals & clinics, neurology centers, homecare settings, and other end-users.

Q2) Which region leads the global epilepsy devices market?

North America leads the global epilepsy devices market.

#Epilepsy Devices Market #Epilepsy Devices #Lifesciences #Medical Devices & Consumables #triton market research #market research reports

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govindhtech · 5 months

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NeuroPace’s iEEG Seizure Detection and Similarity Search

NeuroPace Inc

About 50 million people worldwide suffer from epilepsy. NeuroPace, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for epileptics by minimising or curing their seizures. The RNS System, a responsive neurostimulation device from the business, delivers focused electrical stimulation to stop seizures and tracks brain activity to identify seizure precursors.

Intracranial electroencephalogram, or iEEG, data is also captured by this device. To far, over 15 million recordings from over 5,000 patients have been gathered, making it the biggest collection of ambulatory iEEG records accessible.

Using clinical trial data from the RNS System, the AI team at NeuroPace created electrographic seizure classifier models, which were then refined through transfer learning to determine seizure onset times. The limited number of Graphical Processing Units (GPUs) available in on-premises virtual machines (VMs) formerly hindered machine learning (“ML”) training and slowed down model optimisation and training procedures.

In order to overcome this difficulty, NeuroPace scaled ML workloads using Google Cloud, abandoned on-premises virtual machines, and used Vertex AI to improve training and hyperparameter tuning.

Vertex AI

Making use of the AI infrastructure on Google Cloud

The ML training capabilities of NeuroPace have been greatly enhanced and expedited using Google Cloud’s technology. AlloyDB AI from Google, which is a component of the AlloyDB for PostgreSQL database, can now search through more than a million iEEG records in milliseconds to find ones that are similar to one another.

This operation used to take minutes or hours. Furthermore, NeuroPace’s ML training procedures have been completely transformed, improving scalability, automation, and efficiency, thanks to the combination of Vertex AI, GPUs, Compute Engine, and Google Cloud Storage.

Data engineering, model training, deployment, and monitoring are all supported throughout the machine learning process by Vertex AI, the AI development platform from Google Cloud. The AI team at NeuroPace can now train models on a variety of GPUs thanks to this connection, with L4 GPUs providing a more cost-effective solution than on-premises resources.

With it, they created a cloud-native machine learning training system that uses GPUs and Vertex AI to achieve the necessary scalability and efficiency.

AlloyDB AI

AlloyDB AI patient similarity search

Finding electrophysiological characteristics that epilepsy patients have in common may help in the search for efficient therapies. Using the built-in vector search capabilities in AlloyDB AI, NeuroPace has carried out research investigations to find similar iEEG patterns within a large dataset of over 1 million time-series iEEG records. It is now possible to search for comparable iEEG recordings in this dataset in about 10 milliseconds by using the IVFFlat and HNSW indexing techniques.

Compared to normal PostgreSQL, AlloyDB AI makes it possible to store data embeddings in vector form directly in the database, making similarity searches simpler and faster. As a result, complex external processing pipelines are no longer necessary.

The disease management system of the future

The NeuroPace RNS System’s data may be used to better understand seizure patterns and triggers, which could help with the customisation and optimisation of epileptic treatments.

The goal of the project is to create a comprehensive epilepsy illness management system that emphasises customised treatments and improved patient well-being. This will be accomplished by integrating Google Cloud’s infrastructure with data from NeuroPace’s RNS System.

BENEFITS

Generative AI apps built with PostgreSQL

Utilise open, standard technologies like LangChain and pgvector, along with the familiar PostgreSQL interface, to create generative AI applications.

Vector operations with high performance

Create vector embeddings from within your database and execute vector queries up to 10 times faster than regular PostgreSQL.

Cutting-edge generational AI models

Use conventional SQL queries to retrieve models that you run in Vertex AI and use in your application. Use bespoke models you’ve created or Google models like Gemini.

Important characteristics

Quick and compatible vector search with pgvector

When running vector queries, AlloyDB AI can outperform regular PostgreSQL by up to ten times. When activated, it provides vectors with four times more dimensions and provides support for 8-bit quantization, which results in a threefold reduction in index size.

Your apps can use the ANN (approximate nearest neighbour) or KNN (precise k-nearest neighbour) algorithms to quickly search for similarities on complicated data types, such text and images.

Vector representations in the database

You may quickly convert operational data, such as text and photos, into vector embeddings using the AI model of your choice with automated embeddings generation. Embeddings can be kept in AlloyDB and queried via a SQL interface.

Availability of local or distant models and data

Access bespoke and pretrained models, as well as local models stored in AlloyDB and distant models housed in Vertex AI. Using the data in AlloyDB, you can develop and optimise models before deploying them as Vertex AI endpoints.

Integration of LangChain

With LangChain integration, creating new AI apps that are more dependable, transparent, and accurate is simple. Use Vector Stores to enable semantic search, Document Loaders to load and store information from documents, and Chat Messages History to allow chains to remember past talks.

Scalability, availability, and security at the enterprise level

AlloyDB AI get access to the greatest features offered by both PostgreSQL and Google as a part of AlloyDB. Give your application greater scalability and performance, a 99.99% high availability SLA that includes maintenance, automatic database failure warning and recovery, and extensive security and compliance.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

#IEEG #neuropace #GPU #virtual #VertexAI #alloybd #PostgreSQL #GoogleCloud #monitaring #genarativeai #news #technews #technology #technologynews #technologytrends #govindhtech

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mrudula01 · 1 year

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Epilepsy Devices Market: Tech Trends 2022-2028

Lifesciences

09, December 2022

Epilepsy Devices - Key Detection Methodologies

Strategic Initiatives and Government Approvals

In July 2022, Medtronic PLC received FDA 510(k) clearance for its UNiD Spine Analyzer v4.0 planning platform to leverage machine learning.

Way Forward

FAQ:

Q1) What are the key end-users of the epilepsy devices market?

The key end-users in the epilepsy devices market include hospitals & clinics, neurology centers, homecare settings, and other end-users.

Q2) Which region leads the global epilepsy devices market?

North America leads the global epilepsy devices market.

#epilepsy devices market #epilepsy devices #lifescience industry #medical devices #triton market research #market research trends

0 notes

tritonmarketresearch · 2 years

Text

Epilepsy Devices Market: Tech Trends 2022-2028

Epilepsy Devices - Key Detection Methodologies

Strategic Initiatives and Government Approvals

In July 2022, Medtronic PLC received FDA 510(k) clearance for its UNiD Spine Analyzer v4.0 planning platform to leverage machine learning.

Way Forward

#smart agriculture market #smart agriculture #ict industry #artificial intelligence industry #iot industry #market research report #market research reports #triton market research

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cabbageminute · 5 years

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Week_seven // Case Study

Hi Guys,

This week in your tutorial class you'll be debating privacy - specifically should the government or government agencies collect and have access to your data for good purposes, or should citizens, e.g. you, have a right to privacy which stops them?

This is an important topic which you should form views about as a thinking citizen.

There is no right and wrong answer here - there are many differing opinions in society held by sensible people - but there are right and wrong approaches to working out your opinion. Work it out based on careful analysis and consideration of as many facts and diverse points of view as you can find. And then, when you have worked out your position, be open minded and prepared to change it as you learn and observe new things.

You'll debate it in class. make sure you are able to debate both sides as you won't get to pick which side you are on in the debate :)

cheers,

Richard

Readings:

2019 - Facial Recognition to Replace Opal Cards

"But the opposition and digital rights groups say it would pose a risk to privacy"

"with no need for Opal cards, barriers or turnstiles"

“The opposition would have major concerns about this technology being rolled out into the network. The data collected would be of enormous commercial value to whomever owned it.

“You sign up for a nominal fee each week or month and all the different pricing for public or private providers is built into it,” he said. “This may sound like a pipe dream – but it’s almost a reality in London … I don’t think it’s unrealistic to see the same kind of service being introduced here in Sydney in the near future.”

According to Constance, there has been a 4.7% increase in public transport passengers in the past 12 months. There were 16m extra bus trips in the 2017-18 financial year, compared with the 12 months before

2019 - AFR discusses Facial Recognition

Entering Alibaba's new FlyZoo Hotel in Huangzhou brings one thought: where are all the staff? The decor is a mixture of art gallery and moon base. Check-in is by facial scan for the 290 rooms at a waist-high podium with a glowing base that reflects on the glossy floor. Calling a lift to get to your room is a matter of peering into a camera which recognises your face and takes you to the right floor. Another face scan opens your room. You can sink onto your bed without speaking to a single person.

2019 - Australian Views on Surveillance

Australians tend to accept government surveillance, particularly if they think it necessary or trust the government, according to a recent study.

But they’re only lukewarm about it. So if such surveillance continues to increase, people might reach a turning point and adopt some basic measures to “hide” themselves.

The government recently passed the Telecommunications and Other Legislation Amendment (Assistance and Access) Act 2018, which allows government agencies greater access to encrypted messages, like those sent over WhatsApp.

Mild acceptance: Our research aimed to address this by surveying 100 Australian residents about their views on government surveillance. Just more than half (52) said they accept government surveillance.

(Research -> can this be reliable, who are they..)

1. Is surveillance needed?

2. Do I trust the government?

2018 - Facial Recognition Used by Aus Authorities

NSW police and crime agencies are preparing to use a new national facial recognition system to rapidly match pictures of people captured on CCTV with their driver’s licence photo, to detect criminals and identity theft.

Under new laws the federal and state governments will be able to access data and photos from passports, driver licences, and visas for a national facial recognition system called the “National Facial Biometric Matching Capability”

A road in Xiangyang, China equipped with facial recognition technology, displays photos of jaywalkers alongside their name and identification number.

The NSW Government has allocated $52.6 million over four years to support The Capability. The NSW Minister for Counter-Terrorism David Elliott said it would enable authorities “to quickly identify a person of interest to help keep the community safe."

2017 - Benefits of Surveillance (Skip to What Intelligence Officials are Saying About…)

In recent years, Western governments have come under sharp criticism for their use of surveillance technology. They have been accused of sweeping up massive amounts of information without evidence of the technologies being effective in improving security.

Surveillance technology is pervasive in our society today, leading to fierce debate between proponents and opponents. Government surveillance, in particular, has been brought increasingly under public scrutiny, with proponents arguing that it increases security, and opponents decrying its invasion of privacy. Since the Snowden leaks, critics have loudly accused governments of employing surveillance technologies that sweep up massive amounts of information, intruding on the privacy of millions, but with little to no evidence of success.

2015 Australian Metadata Retention Laws (Read whatever you consider relevant)

The Act is the third tranche of national security legislation passed by the Australian Parliament since September 2014.[2] Pursuant to s 187AA, the following types of information need to be retained by telecommunication service providers:

Incoming and outgoing telephone caller identification

Date, time and duration of a phone call

Location of the device from which phone call was made

Unique identification number assigned to a particular mobile phone of the phones involved in each particular phone call

The email address from which an email is sent

The time, date and recipients of emails

The size of any attachment sent with emails and their file formats

Account details held by the internet service provider (ISP) such as whether or not the account is active or suspended.[3]

2013 - Opinion: Why We Need Government Surveillance

Edward Snowden's leaks of classified intelligence already have him being compared to Daniel Ellsworth of the Pentagon Papers and Bradley Manning of the WikiLeaks fame. Snowden felt compelled to leak valuable documents about the NSA's surveillance programs.

The 29-year-old was willing to give up his $200,000 job, girlfriend, home in Hawaii and his family. He boldly pronounced, "I'm willing to sacrifice all of that because I can't in good conscience allow the U.S. government to destroy privacy, Internet freedom and basic liberties for people around the world with this massive surveillance machine they're secretly building."

The current threat by al Qaeda and jihadists is one that requires aggressive intelligence collection and efforts. One has to look no further than the disruption of the New York City subway bombers (the one being touted by DNI Clapper) or the Boston Marathon bombers to know that the war on al Qaeda is coming home to us, to our citizens, to our students, to our streets and our subways.

This 21st century war is different and requires new ways and methods of gathering information. As technology has increased, so has our ability to gather valuable, often actionable, intelligence. However, the move toward "home-grown" terror will necessarily require, by accident or purposefully, collections of U.S. citizens' conversations with potential overseas persons of interest.

An open society, such as the United States, ironically needs to use this technology to protect itself. This truth is naturally uncomfortable for a country with a Constitution that prevents the federal government from conducting "unreasonable searches and seizures."

PRO TEAM

Why should gov collect data

(NOT USING IT FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES)

NSW minister for counter-terrorism: "to quickly identify a prsim of interest to help keep the community safe"

defender

Prioritised assets - Safety is more important than privacy in a threat situation

smart implementing for infrastures

smart cities (larger population)

Nothing to hide

Missing People

Stopping crime and criminals

Health issue ->

Scope of Data:

Phone metadata

internet usage

Email addresses

Facial Recognition (Only new thing)

location

Criminal record

Addressing people's concern

Citizen don't trust government managing the data set

principle of least privilege

timestamp access

High error rate when searching for suspects, Ai wrongly suggests innocent people (like when analysing CCTV footage)

Using tech that doesn't look for identifiers that are proving to bias skin colour, gender

Need some way to test software for bias

Repurposing: information collected for one purpose is used for another

surveillance data has no opted out

Not really mass surveillance (claiming this)

Why we should collect data + how we can address

Keep community safe + crime rate down

Possible counter argument : Type 1 + 2 error.

Invest in RND, and regulate constantly

The system can't make a decision and only give suggestion

Identify missing person

Possible argument: Type 1 + 2 error.

Prioritised assets - Safety is more important than privacy in a threat situation

Opponent:

data tension, they UN international law rights (US)

Mass surveillance -> not aiming to do, certain

already known to authorities (not adding much value) -> this is assuming all criminals that are known.

Use AND misuse, quite regulation lose, in respect to

don't believe the government

huge issues when misused, when biometric data is leaked, you can't change it. It's the part of who you are. Potential for single biometric databases.

the government may have the good intention -> what government will become. what you can use that data now.

catching criminals + missing people. (Innocent until proven guilty) (tyPE 1 + 2 error)

Invest in RND, and regulate constantly

The system can't make a decision and only give results.

why are you trying to hide

mass surveillance we don't currently have it, but aggregated data collection can effective for such a system.

#weekseven #casestudy #cs6441blog

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nuadox · 4 years

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Detecting injury and disease via magnetic brain waves

- By University of Birmingham -

Scientists at the University of Birmingham (in the UK) have developed a new sensor to measure weak magnetic signals in the brain, which has the potential to increase understanding of connectivity in the brain, and detect signs of traumatic brain injury, dementia and schizophrenia.

Magnetic signals in the brain are measured by magnetoencephalography (MEG). They are easier to localise than the electrical signals measured by EEG, so they are likely to have greater utility for earlier and more accurate diagnostic techniques.

Physicist Dr Anna Kowalczyk led a team of scientists from the Quantum Gases group at the School of Physics and Astronomy and the Neuronal Oscillation group at the School of Pyschology who designed a new Optically Pumped Magnetometer (OPM) sensor. These sensors, which are used in MEG laboratories, use polarized light to detect changes in the orientation of the spin of atoms when they are exposed to a magnetic field.

Their work is published in Neuroimage, and University of Birmingham Enterprise has filed a patent application covering the design of the new sensor and its use in medical diagnostic equipment.

The new sensor is more robust in detecting the brain signals and distinguishing them from background magnetic noise compared to commercially available sensors.

The team was also able to reduce the sensor size by removing the laser from the sensor head, and made further adjustments to decrease the number of electronic components, in a move that will reduce interference between sensors.

Benchmarking tests took place in the state-of-the-art facilities at University of Birmingham’s Centre for Human Brain Health, and showed good performance in environmental conditions where other sensors do not work. Specifically, the researchers showed that the new sensor is able to detect brain signals against background magnetic noise, raising the possibility of MEG testing outside a specialised unit or in a hospital ward.

Dr Anna Kowalczyk commented: “Existing MEG sensors need to be at a constant, cool temperature and this requires a bulky helium-cooling system, which means they have to be arranged in a rigid helmet that will not fit every head size and shape. They also require a zero-magnetic field environment to pick up the brain signals. The testing demonstrated that our stand-alone sensor does not require these conditions. Its performance surpasses existing sensors, and it can discriminate between background magnetic fields and brain activity.”

The researchers expect these more robust sensors will extend the use of MEG for diagnosis and treatment, and they are working with other institutes at the University to determine which therapeutic areas will benefit most from this new approach.

Neuroscientist Professor Ole Jensen, who is co-director of the Centre for Human Brain Health commented: “We know that early diagnosis improves outcomes and this technology could provide the sensitivity to detect the earliest changes in brain activity in conditions like schizophrenia, dementia and ADHD. It also has immediate clinical relevance, and we are already working with clinicians at the Queen Elizabeth hospital to investigate its use in pinpointing the site of traumatic brain injuries.”

The team at the CHBH has also recently been awarded Partnership Resource Funding from the UK Quantum Technology Hub Sensors and Timing to further develop new OPM sensors.

The researchers are now seeking commercial and research partnerships that will lead to better diagnostics for neurological injury, neurological disorders such as dementia, and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.

Source: University of Birmingham

Full study: “Detection of human auditory evoked brain signals with a resilient nonlinear optically pumped magnetometer”, NeuroImage.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.117497

Read Also

A new non-invasive method to predict brain pressure

AI identifies, locates seizures in real-time

#brain #trauma #brain injury #medicine #physics #biotech #neuroscience #biotechnology #health #mental health #dementia #schizophrenia #diagnostics #eeg

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khalilhumam · 4 years

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Saving the vaquita marina and the urgency of this fall

New Post has been published on http://khalilhumam.com/saving-the-vaquita-marina-and-the-urgency-of-this-fall/

Saving the vaquita marina and the urgency of this fall

By Vanda Felbab-Brown The survival of the marine mammal – the vaquita marina – a porpoise endemic to Mexico’s Gulf of California, remains precarious. Perhaps ten or less of the individuals in the species are still alive, after one died in a fishing net in March 2020. But they exist! Crucial acoustic research in September confirmed that the porpoises are still present. The vaquitas’ extinction would be a tragic finale to decades of struggling to preserve the species; and it would be the first global extinction of a marine mammal in decades – a shameful development should it happen. It is imperative that the Mexican government with the help of environmental NGOs and local communities finally mounts effective enforcement in the Upper Gulf of California this fall – right now, in fact. The preservation of the species requires dealing with a complex tangle of corrupt authorities, poor local fishermen who fish with illegal fishing gear dangerous to the vaquitas, and criminal groups and outside poachers, many of whom are not poor. The criminal groups and poachers focus on hunting the totoaba, a protected species of croaker fish, also using the gillnets in which the vaquitas perish. Traffickers and Chinese middlemen smuggle the dried totoaba bladder to China where a soup made from its air bladder (known as “money maw”) connotes status and tradition. Mounting effective law enforcement can be – and has been socially explosive – in the Upper Gulf and requires tackling a wide set of very challenging issues. But concrete and crucial steps, some of which are outlined below, can – and must be – taken. Under pressure of the spring 2020 U.S. embargo on all seafood from the Upper Gulf of California, the Andrés Manuel López Obrador administration enacted sweeping new restrictions on local fishermen at the end of September. But for once, it needs to implement it with determination, diligence, and speed. For decades, the porpoises, close relatives of but distinct from dolphins, have been killed in the use of gillnets with which fishermen in the Upper Gulf of California like to fish. Anchored to the floor or suspended in the water like gigantic tennis nets, they can be two-kilometers long; and the vaquitas get entangled in them and suffocate within minutes. Efforts to dissuade the Gulf fishers from using the gillnets go back decades and have entailed buybacks of the gillnets, suspension and reissuing of fishing permits, efforts to bring sports fishing or ecotourism to the area, compensation for using alternative fishing gear, community building awareness, and haphazard enforcement measures, as well as prior U.S. embargoes. For various reasons, including the corruption of key regulatory institutions, and meager enforcement and fishers’ resistance, they have failed. But the situation has become even more dire since 2011 when Chinese traders began organizing massive seasonal poaching sprees for the bladder, capitalizing on the growing affluence of Chinese customers. Totoaba overharvesting a century ago for Chinese (bladder) and U.S. (fillets) markets caused the population to collapse and it was placed on the endangered list, with fishing prohibited. The financial bonanza – with the maw selling in China for as much as $45,000 – attracted both poor fishers to the poaching as well as criminal groups. Although there is some exaggeration and uncertainty about the exact involvement of large Mexican drug cartels in the totoaba poaching and trade, at least some members of Mexican drug cartels, such as of the Sinaloa Cartel, have been involved. And new organized criminal groups have emerged to poach the totoaba and serve as interface with the Chinese traffickers. Sometimes prompted by organized crime groups, fishers from other parts of Mexico have also arrived in the Upper Gulf to poach the totoaba, compounding decades there of lawlessness, the culture of rebellion, the presence of violent criminal groups, the rejection of state authority, and pervasive corruption. In the meantime, neither totoaba poaching nor smuggling to China have been sufficiently disrupted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Enforcement against the import and retail of the illegal bladder in China has significantly slacked from about two years ago, a typical pattern in China of enforcement of environmental regulations weakening over time. Totoaba poachers aside, about 1,000 pangas (small fishing boats) still head to the Upper Gulf to fish for legal species such as shrimp, but most still use the deadly gillnets. With the shrimping season having started in the Gulf of California on September 25, they are out there again – with a proclivity to use the prohibited gillnets in the habitat of the vaquita. Alternative gear that is not dangerous to the vaquita and other species, such as small trawls and the suripera cast net, exists and has been intensively promoted by the Mexican government and NGOs. But many of the fishermen reject it, claiming that it produces lesser catch than the gillnet. (On average, that is not the case; but occasionally the gillnets produce a particularly large haul, making the fishers addicted to the lottery-like reward of using the gillnets.) The fishers have also become addicted to the compensation provided for using alternative gear, asking for it repeatedly and learning to game the system. Thus, when hoping to get the U.S. embargo lifted, the new Mexican government regulation strengthened the gillnet ban by requiring fishers to surrender such nets within 60 days and undergo mandatory departure and landing inspections during every fishing trip, fishers’ collectives immediately went public with threats of a lawsuit and appeals for compensation. Prior efforts to seize the gillnets – on the sea, led by the international NGO Sea Shepherd Conservation Society that has removed thousands of kilometers of the gillnets from the waters, and by Mexican authorities — have sometimes been met by violent resistance by the fishers. Sea Shepherd vessels have been attacked, as have Mexican fishery authorities’ and Navy (SEMAR) facilities. In March 2019, angry fishermen torched port facilities after a totoaba poacher was shot in a confrontation with Navy soldiers. Fishers are also evading regulations in other ways: last year, for example, they falsely claimed that much of their shrimp and other catch was obtained with the suripera and other permitted gear; and Mexican law enforcement authorities failing to detect and investigate such deception. This year, they need to be primed for such deception, for the shrimping season is under way, as are various forms of evasion of the regulations. What are the most important measures to be taken now – in the fall and heading into the winter-spring totoaba poaching season? First, the Mexican government must not be satisfied merely with passing the new regulations. It has until October 30 to develop its enforcement and implementation plan, and ideally should do it sooner. The international Vaquita Enforcement Study Group, composed of international and Mexican NGOs with years of work in the Upper Gulf under their belt, presented the Mexican government with an excellent set of recommendations. They are similar to those put forth by the Environmental Defense Fund, also a member of the Enforcement Group. Both have informed and are reflected in my priority recommendations here. Second, the U.S. embargo should not be lifted until meaningful enforcement of the new regulation is consistently implemented. Third, enforcement needs to continually center on preventing the entry of boats and gillnets from the protected areas of the vaquita, particularly the Zero Tolerance Area, a small subset of the vaquita refuge where vaquita sightings have been most frequent. SEMAR, now in charge of the vaquita-totoaba enforcement (and soon likely to be in charge of all fisheries enforcement) should concentrate its vessels there and make sure that this area is monitored 24/7 with no breaches allowed. This includes removing gillnets from the water in the larger Gillnet Exclusion Zone – and protecting Sea Shepherd and the Mexican fishers who fish legally, comply with regulations, and participate in the Ghost Net Removal program. In the tight-knit communities of San Felipe and Santa Clara, people know who poaches and who assists authorities with enforcement, and the latter fishers and their families are vulnerable to attack and intimidation by poachers and totoaba-poaching criminal groups. Enforcement action needs to be taken both on land and on water. All gillnets, and the pangas of repeated violators, should be seized. Not only should all boats in the protected zone should be inspected before they leave port and when they return, but the authorities must close illegal launching points which are already being used by fishermen intent on using gillnets. Frequent violators should be fined at escalating rates, and their leaders as well as members of organized criminal groups arrested. Boat and catch seizures, arrests and escalating fines are all already enabled by Mexican laws and regulations but authorities have not had the will to apply them. Strict adherence to human rights and civil liberties in these essential enforcement actions is key (although characteristically violated in Mexico). Fourth, to facilitate much more effective intelligence-led enforcement, Mexican authorities must restart the use of technological tracking systems that all boats in the area including pangas are mandated to use. The automated identification system (AIS) and Pelagic Data Systems provide actionable intelligence on not only where each boat is both on the seas and on land, but also (through patterns of movement analysis) on what gear the fishing boat is using, differentiating legal fishers from illegal ones. Yet last year, Mexican authorities did not follow up on this intelligence on the sea or land. And this year, the Mexican government has not been able to find the $300,000 necessary for the systems to even run. The money needs to be raised immediately and the resulting intelligence diligently followed up and shared with enforcement partners and stakeholders for transparency and effectiveness. Not finding the meager amount of resources for such a vital system is simply inexcusable. And the data need to be made public to help promote sustainable vaquita-friendly fisheries. Fifth, the institutional buckpassing among SEMAR, the National Commission for Aquaculture and Fisheries (CONAPESCA), and other institutional authorities that has eviscerated regulations in the Gulf for decades must be overcome. Is it time for López Obrador — eager to get the embargo lifted since it is causing real hardship to the Gulf fishermen and their families already hammered by the Covid-19 economic downturn — to appoint a coordinating tzar for the Upper Gulf? And sixth, serious enforcement actions against the organized crime of totoaba poaching are urgently needed. The Mexican government has reportedly gathered a substantial amount of intelligence; so prosecution finally needs to be initiated and maintained. All the more important, before the intensified totoaba poaching starts in the spring. For enforcement to develop deterrence capacity, it needs to be frequent and certain, not only to come with stiff penalties. Such enforcement is critical. But it cannot take place in isolation. Both the Mexican government and Mexican and international NGOs need to continually engage with the fishing communities in the Upper Gulf of California to hear their views and seek to find ways to positively induce more of them to collaborate in the rescue of the perhaps world’s most imperiled animal, their own vaquita marina.

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pharmaphorumuk · 4 years

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Israel’s NeuroHelp to trial AI device that predicts epileptic seizures

NeuroHelp, a spin-off from Israel’s Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, has developed what it claims to be the first wearable artificial intelligence (AI) device that detects and predicts epileptic seizures up to an hour before onset.

The company hopes that the tool will improve over current alarm devices, which offer real-time seizure detection but are unable to provide advanced warnings.

Epiness was developed by Dr Oren Shriki and his team at the BGU Department of Cognitive and Brain Sciences at the Inter-faculty Brain Science School.

NeuroHelp was founded by the university’s technology transfer company, BGN Technologies, and scientific founder Dr Shriki.

Epiness is based on a combination of EEG-based monitoring of brain activity together with proprietary machine-learning algorithms.

The device combines a wearable electroencephalogram (EEG) device with software that minimises the number of EEG electrodes and optimises placement on the scalp.

The algorithms filter noise unrelated to brain activity, extract informative measures of the underlying brain dynamics, and distinguish between brain activity before an expected epileptic seizure and when a seizure is not expected.

The new algorithm was developed and tested using EEG data from a large dataset of people with epilepsy that were monitored for several days prior to surgery.

The algorithm with the best prediction performance reached a 97% level of accuracy, with near optimal performance maintained (95%) even with relatively few electrodes.

Clinical trials are set to begin of the prototype system later this year, said Shriki.

“Currently there are no seizure-predicting devices that can alert patients and allow them to prepare for upcoming seizures. The device will be both accurate and user-friendly, since the algorithms significantly reduce the number of EEG electrodes necessary,” Shriki added.

There are already several epilepsy alarm devices on the market, such as those manufactured by Alert-IT and Empatica.

These work by detecting changes in heart rate and alert loved ones to potential seizures using a pager system.

The post Israel’s NeuroHelp to trial AI device that predicts epileptic seizures appeared first on .

from https://pharmaphorum.com/news/israels-neurohelp-to-trial-ai-device-that-predicts-epileptic-seizures/

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app-development-solutions · 5 years

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Future of Healthcare Mobile App Development: Top Trends and Features

In recent years with the advent of mobile technologies, mobile apps have undoubtedly transformed our world the manner it accustomed to be. We live in the era that’s entirely addicted to technology and folks of this generation are using the trend of smartphone apps for his or her individual businesses. Mobile technology has its impact in various sectors including Pharmaceutical, medical and healthcare. Several alternative things are created probable due to healthcare mobile application development.

As per the handy needs and capability to help patients remotely, mobile healthcare app is very demanding now a days. If you’re one amongst people who are looking forward for healthcare mobile application development or even if you’ve set your mind for this but not sure about the features, functionality and what type of application you want, you’ve come to the right place.

Types of Healthcare Applications:

Basically, the scope of health mobile applications can be categorized into three ways:

Mobile Health Apps for Patients

Mobile Health Apps for Doctors

General Healthcare Information Apps

Let’s see some of the most interesting facts about mHealth:

93% of doctors believe that mobile health apps can improve a patient’s health. – GreatCall

42% of surveyed patients said they prefer scheduling an appointment online, but they didn’t have an opportunity. – Accenture Health

74% of hospitals that use mobile devices to collect healthcare data are more efficient than those who don’t. – Ricoh Research

Today healthcare sector is increasingly progressively adopting new technologies to enhance patient care and drive bigger business opportunities. However, without any clear vision, it's very difficult to design and develop any application for the healthcare industry. Mobile applications with web or cloud connectivity are more popular as it offers appealing user experiences, performance, and innovations, which is rarely possible with pure Web Apps.

The biggest advantage of a mobile application in the healthcare sector is its capability to determine smooth connections and communications without any delay. For instance, with a few touches, you can find and make calls or get notifications to available healthcare services in your locality in the case of emergency. Thus, mobile app could be a time saver, and cheaper as compared to desktop or laptop devices.

Latest Trends in the Healthcare Industry for 2020

The healthcare industry is filled with vast technologies, but here we have only covered the best technologies that have overcome healthcare difficulties.

1. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is not new to the world, but its new blessings will still be untouched by the industries. Now with more secure and AI-infused “wearables” healthcare professionals keep oversees their patients from anywhere at any time. “Studies show that 88% of consumers are willing to share data derived from AI-infused “wearables” with healthcare professionals”.

Customized Artificial Intelligence solutions could be an effective tool for doctors to strengthen patient care and could also provide governess help by reminding patients to take medicine and leading patients through medication.

2. Big Data

Based on market research, “the global big data in the healthcare market is expected to reach $34.27 billion by 2022 at a CAGR of 22.07%”. Big Data analytics solutions are changing the way hospitals track information related to patients. Apart from wearables that can detect the patient’s heart rate, distance walked, sleep, exercise, calories, etc. there are new medical Big Data applications are available in the market that can monitor the patient’s blood pressure, pulse Oximeters, glucose monitors, and more.

3. Internet of Things

Market research done by P&S Market revealed that healthcare IoT development services will record a CAGR of 37.6% between 2015 and 2020. It also surmises that this increasing need will be derived by wireless health monitoring systems, which can detect chronic diseases like heart attacks, stroke, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy and seizures, obesity, and oral health problems.

4. Blockchain

According to Hyperledger’s survey, “42.9% of healthcare organizations suppose that the interoperability of electronic health records will help for faster blockchain implementation”.

Blockchain technology, the most disruptive technologies in the world is spreading its wings and now become an unavoidable part of every industry. Just like other industries, Healthcare industry is also adopting the Blockchain to innovate the way they function.

Initial requirements and healthcare app features

Now we'll give a specific example, with the description and features of one of our live healthcare mobile apps.

Otboo App

Otboo app is a healthcare mobile app that offers a platform where you can effortlessly take appointment from your chosen doctor as well as can track the live status of your appointment at your handiness and fingertips. It is one of the simplistic and convenient alternatives that can easily connect you with hundreds of doctors and schedule your appointment accordingly.

Features of the App;

Some of the important features incorporated in this app are as follows:

Easy registration process

Forget password.

Create and edit patient profile.

Online or Offline payment mode.

Map integration for the location purpose.

You can book an appointment for anyone online.

Easy appointment Reschedule process.

View appointments summary

View online consultancy fees summary

View a history of payments.

Invoice generation

Conclusion

In today’s world, digital technologies are playing a vital role in all the industries. Healthcare industry is one of the biggest sectors in which the medical models has reached to the next level of performance. Cooperation between people and technology could result in amazing achievements in medicine and healthcare.

If you are looking for healthcare mobile app development, then you are at the right place. Hire our mobile app developers who can help you in incorporating all the latest technologies.

#Mobile App Developers #healthcare app development

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appdevelopmentcompanyinusa · 5 years

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The Next Big Wave in Healthcare Industry for 2020

The Healthcare industry is the most sensitive one as compared to other industries in terms of data as it generates 2,500 petabytes of data every day. These data come from various sources such as patient information, diagnostic tests, prescriptions, and insurance claims. You will be shocked after knowing that approx. 90% of this data has been created in the last two years only.

To deal with these data and emerging needs of patients, the healthcare industry is turnabout towards digitization and preparing for pacing with rapid advancements in medical technology and overall quality of care. Now the way through which care facilities have been delivered to the patients have changed with the overwhelming use of mhealth mobile app development solutions that have doubled in recent years.

According to the survey done by healthcare professionals, the healthcare industry will overcome all clogs by 2025. The same study revealed that health monitoring devices, wearables, and video collaboration solutions, will play a crucial role in creating a bright healthcare future.

In the upcoming years, primary care will be accessible to all citizens, regardless of distance with the help of broadband, smartphones, and applications.

Now, wearable app development services and mhealth mobile app development services have made it possible to track real-time patients’ health condition. With access to this comprehensive information about the patient, physicians can offer personalized treatment and care rather than a general diagnosis.

Technology is involving in the healthcare sector at a fast pace, which is changing the whole scenario of the healthcare industry. From visiting the doctors’ clinic to video consultations, being prescribed mHealth app and using a smartphone for a routine checkup, healthcare is truly changing.

Let’s discuss the new trends of the Healthcare Industry for 2020.

The Next Big Trends in the Healthcare Industry for 2020

Though the healthcare sector is filled with immense technologies, but here we have only covered five best technologies that have overcome healthcare barriers.

1. Artificial Intelligence

Customized Artificial Intelligence solutions could be an effective tool for physicians to intensify patient care and could also provide governess help by reminding patients to take medicine and leading patients through medication.

2. Big Data

Monitoring devices allows healthcare organizations to treat people remotely as they can identify health issues before the situation goes worse. Big Data solution helps the hospital to arrange patient’s data in such a way so it can be accessed to understand the pattern of many patients. It can identify their chronic issues and help in giving patients better care remotely to minimize their frequent visits.

3. Internet of Things

With custom IoT application development, hospitals are creating a personalized atmosphere for monitoring health conditions through wearables. Some popular smart devices like Fitbit, Apple smartwatches are capable of diagnosing patient’s early stage for holistic health analysis and wristbands to track eating habits to suggest customized nutrition choices.

4. Blockchain

According to Hyperledger’s survey, “42.9% of healthcare organizations suppose that the interoperability of electronic health records will help for faster blockchain implementation”.

Though there are some furtherance’s still needed to adopt Blockchain ledger technology smoothly across the whole medical industry but it truly provides a more shielded way to protect data.

5. Digital Twin

A full 92% of healthcare consumers surveyed said that improving customer experience should be a top strategy this year.

As the advances in medical technology has been rapidly increasing, the potential of healthcare services has also increased and holds the promise to meet the emerging demands of patients.

With the arrival of digital twin technology, the healthcare industry is addressing the new challenges and offering a comprehensive approach to differentiate each unique patient within the system to start the right care processes to treat the health conditions of patients. A digital twin will also improve both care delivery and the patient experience through effective and efficient patient-centric care.

Summing up

There’s no doubt that the healthcare industry has a promising future as several smart devices have added to this field for remote monitoring. It is just a beginning, healthcare revolution is still in its early stages and you will see a lot more changes in the upcoming years. We should expect to see mhealth mobile app development solutions becoming the norm in a healthcare setting.

#mhealth mobile app development Solutions #mhealth mobile app development Services #Customized Artificial Intelligence solutions #Custom IoT application development #Mobile app development solutions #Artificial Intelligence Solutions #Mobile App Developers

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startuplogy-blog · 5 years

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Microsoft Willingly Going To Support 7 Startups With Projects To Help Disabled People

Microsoft has selected seven successful startups to get concessions from its AI for Accessibility program. The thriving businesses aim to empower individuals with disabilities to get involved in technology and the internet market, from developing job searches to predicting seizures. This past year, seven recipients will get access to the Azure AI platform (through Azure calculate credits) and also Microsoft engineering assistance. Over the following year, the recipients will work on elements such as a nerve-sensing wearable wristband. That device detects micro-movements of the hands and arms and renders them into activities such as a mouse click. Another project seeks to create a biometric cap that reads an individual's EEG data and transfers it into the cloud to provide seizure warnings and alerts. Other resources will rely on language recognition, AI-powered chatbots, and programs for people with eyesight impairment. Our Ability, A business started by John Robinson, who was born without complete organs, And his life have faced severe challenges taking and maintaining a job. The unemployment rate for those who have disabilities is double that of people without, and some disabilities nearly restrain full-time employment entirely. There are still chances for such people, who are equally as likely to have a thought for job management or talent for communicating as anyone else; but they can be challenging to find. Robinson is working on a website which connects companies with jobs suited to disabled petitioners to likely candidates. Voiceitt is a speech recognition engine which focuses on individuals with nonstandard voices. Disabilities and cases like strokes can make a person's voice difficult for family and friends to understand, let alone the relatively picky processes of speech recognition. Google recently took on the same subject with Project Euphonia, which, along with the organization's other attempts towards accessibility was given an impressive amount of stage time in I/O last week. Microsoft is doing its work to create the world more accessible for individuals with disabilities. Before this month, we found patent designs for an Xbox control with Braille inputs. The company highlighted accessibility in its Super Bowl advertisement, and it is dedicated to improving VR for people with eyesight problems. You can also read about other startups at TechCrunch. Read the full article

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un-enfant-immature · 5 years

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7 accessibility-focused startups snag grants from Microsoft

Microsoft has selected seven lucky startups to receive grants from its AI for Accessibility program. The growing companies aim to empower people with disabilities to take part in tech and the internet economy, from improving job searches to predicting seizures.

Each of the seven companies receives professional-level Azure AI resources and support, cash to cover the cost of data collection and handling, and access to Microsoft’s experts in AI, project management, and accessibility.

Companies apply online and a team of accessibility and market experts at Microsoft evaluate them on their potential impact, data policies, feasibility, and so on. The five-year, $25 million program started in 2018, and evaluation is a rolling process with grants coming out multiple times per year. This one happens to be on Global Accessibility Awareness Day. So be aware!

Among this round’s grantees is Our Ability, a company started by John Robinson, who was born without complete limbs, and all his life has faced serious challenges getting and keeping a job. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is twice that of people without, and some disabilities nearly preclude full-time employment altogether.

How to make sure that your product is accessible to all users

Yet there are still opportunities for such people, who are just as likely to have a head for project management or a knack for coding as anyone else — but they can be difficult to find. Robinson is working on a site that connects companies with jobs suited to disabled applicants to likely candidates.

“Our goal is to empower employers to understand and leverage the increasingly valuable employment population of people with disabilities, proven to lower job turnover rates and boost morale and productivity – because a commitment to an inclusive workplace culture begins within,” Robinson wrote in an email to TechCrunch. “Employers have previously been at a disadvantage to accelerate in this regard, because many job-seeking tools are not designed with people with disabilities in mind.”

John Robinson of Our Ability.

The plan that attracted Microsoft is Robinson’s idea to make a chatbot to help collect critical data from disabled applicants. And before you say “chatbot? What year is this?” remember that while chatbots may be passé for those of us able to navigate forms and websites easily, that’s not the case with people who can’t do so. A chat-based interface is simple and accessible, requiring little on the user’s end except basic text input.

Pison is another grantee whose technology would come in handy here. People with physical disabilities often can’t use a mouse or trackpad the way others do. Founder Dexter Ang saw this happen in person as his late mother’s physical abilities deteriorated under the effects of ALS.

His solution is to use a electromyography armband (you might be familiar with Myo) to detect the limited movements of someone with that type of affliction and convert those into mouse movements. The company was started a couple years ago and has been undergoing ongoing development and testing among ALS patients, who have shown that they can use the tech successfully after just a few minutes.

Voiceitt is a speech recognition engine that focuses on people with nonstandard voices. Disabilities and events like strokes can make a person’s voice difficult for friends and family to understand, let alone the comparatively picky processes of speech recognition.

Google recently took on this same problem with Project Euphonia, which along with the company’s other efforts towards accessibility was given an impressive amount of stage time at I/O last week.

Here are the remainder of the grantees (descriptions are from Microsoft):

University of Sydney (Australia) researchers are developing a wearable sensory warning system to help the 75 million people living with epilepsy better predict and manage seizures to live more independently.

Birmingham City University (United Kingdom) researchers are developing a system that enables people with limited mobility to control digital platforms using voice commands and the movement of their eyes.

Massachusetts Eye and Ear (Boston, MA) researchers are working on a vision assistance mobile app that offers enhanced location and navigation services for people who are blind or have low vision.

University of California Berkley (Berkley, CA) researchers are creating a mobile app for individuals who are blind or have low-vision to provide captions and audio descriptions of their surroundings.

The image up top, by the way, is from iTherapy’s InnerVoice, an app that provides AI-powered descriptions of images taken by kids who have trouble communicating. It’s a great example of cutting-edge tech being applied in a niche that helps a small population a lot rather than a large population a little.

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Microsoft has been a good steward of accessibility for years and it seems to be leaning into that, as well it should. President Brad Smith had a lot to say about it in a blog post last year, and the commitment seems strong going into this one.

#TechCrunch

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