Real-Time Speech Modification System to Enhance Fluency in People Who Stutter

Stuttering affects about 1% of the worldwide adult population, or 2 million adults in the United States, and 8% of children. For both adults and children, the speech disorder has a debilitating impact on social interactions and economic productivity. This team has developed a portable solution by integrating embedded systems, signal processing technologies, and a neuroscientific model to reduce stuttering using novel alterations of auditory feedback during speech production. The goal is to eventually allow the user to speak more fluently without the device. This project aims to improve usability and better understand the practical and social hurdles of commercializing the technology.