CloudVent

About the project

CloudVent will provide a cloud-based speech recognition technology for people with Spinal Cord Injury.

People with a high-level spinal cord injury (SCI) are hugely dependent on carers, families and friends. They cannot use traditional interfaces to digital devices such as keyboards, touchscreens and buttons. This compounds their dependence and can have a devastating effect on rehabilitation and the ability to regain an independent professional and social life — the majority of people sustaining SCIs are under 40. An attractive alternative is to use a speech recognition system to provide a means of communication.

CloudVent will provide a proof-of-concept that Sheffield’s cloud-based speech recognition technology can be adapted to work for people with SCI that use ventilators to breathe, despite the ventilator’s noisy “breath” and the patient’s altered speech pattern.