Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( 🔒 ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Need Help

Remote Speech Cues for Dysarthria using Artificial Intelligence

Award Number: R21DC024030
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/10/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2029

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Remote Speech Cues for Dysarthria using Artificial Intelligence - PROJECT SUMMARY The purpose of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of remote, artificial intelligence (AI)-based articulatory cueing for dysarthria secondary to Parkinson’s disease (PD). PD is the fastest growing neurodegenerative condition and erodes the ability to speak. Adequate speech intensity and clarity are essential for intelligible speech and have been the focus of speech therapy treatments for several decades; however, data indicate that the patient’s mental load associated with self-monitoring speech production persists following treatment, thereby limiting generalizability to everyday communication. Recent advancements in AI have enabled precise measurement of articulatory kinematics using consumer-grade webcameras. This creates the novel opportunity to pair this technology with machine learning techniques to develop the first AI driven, individualized speech cueing tool to improve speech intelligibility in functional contexts with a low mental load for the communicators. The proposed study will implement a remote platform for providing individualized articulatory cueing using participants’ webcameras. It will address the following aims: (1) To create individualized speech targets and evaluate speech change associated with real-time, AI-provided cues for improving speech precision for individuals living with PD and (2) To ascertain the acceptability and utility of individualized kinematic cueing for individuals with PD. Forty individuals diagnosed with idiopathic PD will be recruited for this cross-sectional, remote study. Lip and jaw kinematics, along with speech acoustic data, will be collected in one session through a secure, online video chatting platform while producing habitual and cued speech in two conditions: Loud and Clear. Lip and jaw articulatory range of motion will be measured from webcamera videos for each speaking style using AI techniques and will be used to create an individualized articulatory target for each speaker. During extemporaneous speech, AI-delivered visual cues will instruct speakers to improve their speech when lip and jaw movements fall below the individualized articulatory target. A follow-up semi-structured interview will ascertain the acceptability and utility of the individualized AI-delivered cues to ensure patient-centered approaches to future development. The results of this study will answer two important questions: “To what degree do artificial intelligence techniques offer an individualized method for providing precision speech cueing?” and “How acceptable and useful are AI-based remote speech cueing methods for individuals living with Parkinson disease?” The long-term goal of this research is to advance methods for individualized speech feedback tools that reduce the communicative burden on patients while increasing overall access via clinically accessible, telehealth compatible, kinematic measurement. Improvements in articulatory range of motion following an individualized AI-provided cue will allow for patient-specific external supports use in clinical and functional contexts for long-term communicative independence.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $174,742 )
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING	1000 E UNIVERSITY AVE	LARAMIE	WY	82071	ALBANY	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	8/12/2026	NEW	$174,742
														Subtotal = $174,742

Grand Total All Awards = $174,742

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Remote Speech Cues for Dysarthria using Artificial Intelligence

Award Number: R21DC024030

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/10/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2029

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer