Meet Erin's Avatar: Groundbreaking Tech Gives Voice & Mobility to Woman With ALS

News provided by

Jan 09, 2024, 10:30 ET

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On Jan. 9, The Scott-Morgan Foundation will unveil groundbreaking assistive technologies at Showstoppers CES-2024, including a hyper-realistic avatar, AI-powered wheelchair, and integrated communication platform leveraging eye tracking, ear, tongue, and wheelchair controls—innovations created to empower and enable a woman living with ALS to communicate and be mobile."

Our collaborators/innovations:

Hyper-realistic, AI-powered avatar from DeepBrain AI and Lenovo
On-device, personal LLM for predictive, generative AI from Lenovo
Eye-gaze tracking and AAC communication platform converging multimodal inputs, including eye tracking, ear, tongue, and wheelchair controls from IRISBOND
Smart, robotic mobility platform from LUCI Mobility
Circular keyboard all under an intuitive User Interface design from The Scott-Morgan Foundation
In-ear biometric control technology from EarSwitch
Tongue-operated, hands-free touchpad from Augmental

At 23, Erin Taylor was diagnosed with ALS, a disease that leads to near-total paralysis. However, a team of innovative companies has given Erin a virtual voice through a lifelike avatar that captures 96% of her visual and audible characteristics. The avatar demonstrates how using AI and other advanced technologies empowers people with even the most severe disabilities.

By addressing the intensive needs of people with severe disabilities like ALS—the Scott-Morgan Foundation and its collaborators set out to solve some of assistive technology's greatest challenges to unlock new independence for millions living with disabilities worldwide.

2.5 billion people need assistive technology worldwide, reaching 3.5 billion by 2050. By showcasing innovations that address severe disability needs, the Foundation spotlights possibilities for inclusive tech.

At Showstoppers, attendees can watch Erin's avatar use IRISBOND's platform to articulate text live. EXPLAINER-VIDEO HERE. PRESS KIT HERE post-event for those not attending. Erin will be available for interviews on her vital role in this assistive technology project.

The Scott-Morgan Foundation is taking a patient-first approach by collaborating with pioneering researcher Dr. David Putrino and Dr. Abbey Sawyer of The Abilities Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai to optimize this platform's real-world impact for people with disabilities.

With mobility and communication abilities hampered by severe disabilities, many are unable to interact with the outside world. Isolation negatively impacts safety, health, and quality of life. By presenting what's possible through Erin's story, the Foundation hopes to drive awareness, spark innovation, and democratize assistive technologies for all who need them.

SOURCE The Scott-Morgan Foundation