Quebec woman with ALS hears her own voice again thanks to AI app

Anne-Marie Poirier, a woman living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), has regained the ability to hear her own voice thanks to an artificial intelligence (AI) application called Vocality. ALS is a progressive neurological disease that has robbed Poirier of her ability to speak and affected her swallowing capabilities. Vocality, developed by Montreal entrepreneurs Thomas Houlachi and David Ruiz, allows users to input a few keywords and generate complete sentences spoken in the user's own voice, using recordings of their speech combined with AI-generated words.

Poirier's family has been overjoyed by the development, as it has reinvigorated their family conversations and interactions, giving the appearance that Poirier's life is not coming to an end. The AI-driven application has allowed Poirier to communicate more efficiently and authentically, expressing herself as she wishes, while also reducing the strain of typing out each letter letter by letter.

Vocality, which is compatible with eye-tracking equipment, allows users with limited mobility to select words and phrases using their eyes. The application also enables users to save frequently used phrases and repeat sentences when needed. Houlachi and Ruiz, who launched Vocality in June, worked closely with ALS patients in the development process, ensuring the tool meets the needs of those living with the disease. The application is currently accessible through iPhones and iPads, with an Android version expected soon.