Company’s TalkItt Voice Recognition Software Gives Millions of People
with Speech Disabilities the Ability to “Talk” in their Own Voice
Grand Prize Includes Funding and Mentorship to Help Bring Software to
Market
ANDOVER, Mass. -- (Business Wire)
Philips
North America today announced VoiceItt,
developer of the voice recognition software TalkItt, as the grand prize
winner of the second annual Philips Innovation Fellows competition, in
partnership with global web-based crowd funding site Indiegogo,
recognizing the company and technology as the next meaningful innovation
in health and well-being.
According to the National Institute of Healthi, approximately
7.5 million people in the United States alone have trouble using their
own voices. TalkItt empowers people with motor, speech or language
disorders to easily communicate. By recognizing the user’s vocal
patterns, the app will translate unintelligible pronunciation from any
language into understandable speech via a smartphone, tablet or computer.
“We are honored that Philips and its employees – who strive to create
meaningful innovations in the area of health and technology every day –
have recognized our efforts to help people live more fulfilling lives,”
said Jessica Eisenberg, Marketing Manager, VoiceItt. “Winning Philips
Innovation Fellows will help us change the lives of individuals living
with speech disabilities caused by medical conditions, such as
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Cerebral Palsy, Alzheimer’s disease
and Parkinson’s disease, as well as their family members, caregivers and
friends, who communicate with them daily.”
VoiceItt, which was selected from among five finalists as the contest
winner by Philips employees, will receive $60,000 in prize money, in
addition to the $25,235 it raised through the contest’s presence on Indiegogo
during the crowdsourcing
phase of the competition. Along with the monetary prize, VoiceItt
will receive mentoring from Philips executives and relevant business
leaders.
“VoiceItt’s mission to give a voice to those who struggle to speak
because of a medical condition embodies our vision for meaningful
innovation,” said Brent Shafer, CEO of Philips North America. “The
potential of TalkItt to improve so many lives resonated with our judging
panel and our employees, and we’re honored to name them the winner of
our second annual Innovation Fellows competition.”
The other 2014 Innovation Fellows finalists included:
- LeefH2,
a device that reduces particulate matter emissions in diesel engines
in order to improve air quality and human health worldwide.
- miraclefeet,
a low-cost foot brace designed to treat clubfoot in low-resource
settings.
- Sweet
Bites, a chewing gum that can prevent tooth decay in impoverished
children.
- X-Fingers,
the first functional prosthetic fingers for children.
Each of these finalists will receive a $10,000 cash prize, in addition
to the funding raised through Indiegogo.
Last year, Philips named Fosmo Med the grand prize winner of the
inaugural Philips Innovation Fellows competition. Fosmo Med’s Maji
Intravenous (IV) saline bag creates a sterile solution through reverse
osmosis from any water, clean or dirty. The product has currently
completed the R&D phase and request for determination has been submitted
to the FDA. Once approved, Maji could be used for treating diseases,
such as cholera, in disaster regions and developing countries worldwide.
“The Philips Innovation Fellows competition has provided credibility for
our cause, ultimately raising our profile among investors,” said Ben
Park, CEO and founder of Fosmo Med. “After working closely with Philips
executives, it became clear that we shared the same goal: creating
technology that saves and improves lives. This competition equipped us
with the resources needed to finish our R&D efforts and prepare for the
FDA phase of the project, which will bring us one step closer to market.”
About Royal Philips:
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a diversified health and
well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through
meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and
Lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2013 sales of
EUR 23.3 billion and employs approximately 115,000 employees with sales
and services in more than 100 countries. The company is a leader in
cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting
solutions and new lighting applications, as well as male shaving and
grooming and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.
About Indiegogo:
Indiegogo empowers people around the world to fund what matters to them.
As the largest global crowdfunding platform, campaigns have launched
from every country around the world with millions of dollars being
distributed every week due to contributions made by the Indiegogo
community. At its core, Indiegogo is the equal opportunity platform
dedicated to democratizing the way people raise funds for any project –
creative, entrepreneurial or cause-related. The company was launched in
2008 and is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Los Angeles
and New York. For more information, visit www.indiegogo.com
and follow us at www.twitter.com/indiegogo
and www.facebook.com/indiegogo.
i National Health Institute: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/pages/vsl.aspx
Contacts:
Philips North America
Lea Armstrong, +1-978-659-3467
Public
and Media Relations
lea.armstrong@philips.com
Source: Philips North America
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