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Children with severe speech impairments are often provided with communication aids to compose messages spoken using synthesised speech. However, communication aids can be slow and tiring to use. They do not promote natural communication due to the lack of eye-contact between conversation partners and the time taken to compose messages.This project will address these problems by producing VocaTempo, a new, app-based voice-input communication aid, which will recognise words spoken by a child with severely impaired speech and speak out a clear version of the message, making the aid easier, faster and more natural to use than current communication aids.

Many paediatric long term conditions such as severe asthma, cystic fibrosis, congenital heart defects, obstructive sleep apnoea, bronchiolitis and neonatal lung conditions can lead to severe  morbidity  or death if oxygen saturation levels are not monitored and necessary appropriate action taken.  There is no optimised solution to monitor oxygen levels in children  and as a consequence there are high levels of referrals to secondary care and emergency admissions, which is a burden to the NHS.  The project is to develop a wearable , self-adjustable wireless probe (with appropriate paediatric software algorithms) that can be used in both children and adults.

'Here's looking at you, kid' will develop and commercialise a game-changing platform for the frequent, passive and contactless vital signs measurement of children with asthma aged 10+ who have been identified by their GP as being at risk of unplanned hospital admission. Assuming the form of a mirror, its unique selling point is its ability to collect five vital signs (heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, SpO2 and blood pressure) whilst a child is performing everyday activities. Data dashboards can be both stored and transmitted to healthcare professionals and other appointed adults for effective immediate response and long-term monitoring.