Talk of the town: Virtual world gets stroke survivors talking
Have you ever felt like you know exactly what you want to say, but just can't get the words out? Having a word on the tip of your tongue can be frustrating at the best of times, but for people with communication difficulties, it can be a constant struggle to find the right words, make sentences and connect with others.
The Virtual Interactive platform to Treat Anomic Language (VITAL) is a new Adelaide University program that utilizes virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to assist stroke survivors and others with communication difficulties in practicing everyday conversations. The platform creates a virtual town square filled with familiar locations, such as shops, restaurants, and hair salons, where users can engage in simulated interactions without the pressure of real-world consequences.
VITAL aims to improve communication confidence, social participation, well-being, and quality of life for people with aphasia, a language disorder often resulting from stroke, traumatic brain injury, or certain types of dementia. With an estimated 140,000 Australians living with aphasia, the program seeks to create a realistic and engaging therapy environment to help individuals find the right words, ask questions, and have conversations.
Led by Professor Maria Kambanaros, VITAL involves co-designing the virtual world with people affected by aphasia, their family members, communication partners, speech pathologists, and researchers. The goal is to make communication therapy more realistic and engaging while investigating the potential benefits of VR in enhancing communication skills, social engagement, and overall well-being.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
