Development of Software to Provide the SpeechVive Device Via the Internet

Telehealth, increasingly recognized in the neurology field as a solution to access issues for people with Parkinson's disease, improves access to speech therapy, particularly those living in rural areas or with travel barriers. The SpeechVive device, developed by SpeechVive, Inc., is a treatment solution that is easy to use and effective. In an NIH funded study, the SpeechVive device improved communication in 90% of individuals with PD by improving volume, articulation, and speech rate. The investigators propose to eliminate the one drawback of the SpeechVive device, namely that it currently must be programmed by a speech-language pathologist for each patient in person. The overall goal of this project is to develop a telehealth platform for the SpeechVive device that will enable video conferencing for treatment and remote programming of the SpeechVive device for each patient. Once the platform has been developed, the investigators will conduct a study to examine effectiveness and the patient and caregiver satisfaction with telepractice using the SpeechVive device.

People with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers obtaining treatment using the SpeechVive device via the internet using the telemedicine application. Also includes speech-language pathologists providing treatment via the telemedicine application.

People with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers obtaining treatment using the SpeechVive device in person. Also includes speech-language pathologists providing treatment in person.

The SpeechVive is a wearable device that plays multi-talker babble noise in one ear while the person wearing it is talking. The noise is voice-activated (only present when the person speaks). The noise does not interfere with the ability to hear communication partners. The noise coming from the device functions as a natural external cue for people with Parkinson's disease to talk more loudly and clearly. Treatment will involve asking the participants to wear the device daily during the treatment period.

Participants will interact with the speech-language pathologist using the telemedicine platform from their home.

Participants will interact with the speech-language pathologist in-person at the speech pathologist's office

Survey requesting SLP data regarding patients seen during the study period and adoption of the telepractice model by patients

Survey requesting Patient and caregiver reports of time spent before and after sessions preparing and setting up equipment and clearing equipment

Number and duration of silent and filled pauses from speech samples with and without the device in place

Inclusion Criteria: Diagnosis of Parkinson's disease Difficulty communicating Is currently being seen, or agrees to be seen, by a speech pathologist who fits the SpeechVive device and also has agreed to participate in the study Has a regular caregiver living with him/her Exclusion Criteria: Neurological diagnoses (except Parkinson's disease) Bilateral hearing aids (since one free ear is required for use of the SpeechVive device)

The data from the people with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers will include limited financial information, perceptions of speech telepractice, survey data, and some objective measurements of speech production. Once de-identified and published in peer-reviewed journals, these data will be made available upon request. Any researcher requesting access to these data will need to submit the following to Jessica Huber: Name and institution of PI Proof of institutional appointment Names and roles for all individuals who will access the data for the planned analysis Detailed plan for the use of the data Timeline for use and publication of the analyses If Dr. Huber approves the data use, the PI must sign a license with Purdue University's Office of Technology Commercialization promising to keep the data confidential, to not share it with anyone not named in the application above, and to destroy the data once analysis is complete.

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