Transforming Lives with Wearable Speech Tracking Technology

Our BeneTalk device is suitable for any level of stuttering, from very mild to severe. It is designed to assist the transfer of speech therapy techniques from the clinic to everyday contexts. Many people who stutter struggle with this and we believe a wearable device can serve as a bridge between speech therapy room and real-world communication. This means they can be learnt quicker and make interaction easier.

BeneTalk is suitable from the age of 12. It is most effective for young people who have previously learned a speech technique in therapy. To make sure that underage users get the most out of the device, it is best if an adult could supervise the initial setup and check that they are using it correctly.

No, it can also be used for other cases and by other groups of people. If you would like to use it in other contexts please get contact us at speak@benetalk.com.

We plan for BeneTalk to support as many languages as possible. Our technology is language agnostic and can be adapted to new linguistic environments. Our first approach will be to launch BeneTalk in English only, and then we plan to quickly follow up with releases in Spanish and Arabic (by the end of 2020). Therefore, unless your level of spoken English is proficient, the BeneTalk device will not work for you at this point.

BeneTalk is like a ‘Fitbit’ for speech, which you wear with a comfortable belt around the chest. While the BeneTalk device does the tracking, our app will give you real- time feedback and show you progress reports. With the help of the app, you will be able to learn speech techniques and get immediate feedback on how you are doing. It will help you to set realistic goals, remind you to practice and to encourage you to use your speech technique during the day, so new correct habits are built.

Our device is designed to tell you, amongst other things, how fast you are speaking, and this alone is very valuable information. All speech techniques for people who stutter have one thing in common: they aim to lower the speech rate. So even without any form of previous or current speech therapy, the device will help you to speak more slowly and stutter less. If you do already know a speech technique or are in the process of learning it, then our BeneTalk device really comes into its own. You can calibrate the device to recognise the speech and breathing pattern you are aiming for and will give you real-time and long-term feedback on whether you are using your technique successfully.

BeneTalk tracks your particular breathing and speaking habits as well as your heartbeat during the day.

From April 2020, our specialist speech and language therapists will be offering online therapy sessions for people who stutter. You will be able to choose between an individual and group format. All of the details and prices will be public soon, please join our Facebook group for the latest updates.

We will soon launch our free BeneTalk app which, together with the BeneTalk device, will be like your personal speech therapist and coach in your pocket. The app will teach you effective techniques to gain control over your speech and to reduce anxiety connected with stuttering. It will remind you to practice and show you your daily progress, gathered by the BeneTalk device. In addition to this, the BeneTalk device will give you immediate feedback on your breathing and speech, as a speech therapist would. Our team of speech and language therapists will provide you with guidance and feedback for a monthly subscription.

The device will be introduced in the first month of the research study.

Data is sent over the common Bluetooth Low Energy protocol.

Just as Bluetooth earphones occasionally experience glitches in the sound, the BeneTalk device sends and receives on a common radio frequency spectrum and may interact with other devices that use that same frequency.

It is recommended to charge the BeneTalk wearable daily for several hours.

Connections are made using Bluetooth Low Energy, which means that some basic pairing and other security is in place. It may be possible to intercept the transmissions if someone is within 30 metres of the device, but data is only being transmitted between the wearable and the app when using the app. The data stored and transmitted to the app is extremely compressed, so it contains very little information of value outside of the speech tracking we are using it for. There is no way to extract the content of what was said by the user from the stored data.

Only as much as a Bluetooth headset might or something similar.

In principle: the more you practice, the faster you will see progress. Ideally, you will be wearing the device all day or at least in all speaking situations. As a minimum, we recommend wearing it for 4 hours every day.

In concept, this will be possible. We are planning to give you access to something that is a little different from just raw data to help you understand and organize it.

The BeneTalk device records your breathing with a motion sensor. It does not record the sound of breathing but rather the up and down movement of your chest.

No, a cure for stuttering does not exist. Stuttering is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder and science cannot yet change the structure and function of the brain of people who stutter. What BeneTalk can do is help you control your stutter, reduce your struggle, boost your confidence and unlock your potential. It acts as a daily and real-time companion to help reinforce your desired speaking patterns. The more you practice with BeneTalk, the more control you can gain over your speech!

That depends on how intensively you train. We think that if you wear the device for 4 hours a day and read the reports provided by the app then you will see definite positive changes within two months. As BeneTalk is the first device of its kind, the exact benefits and recommended usage will become clearer as we progress. This is why our clinical study is so important and we are looking forward to building on the results once they are published.

You can calibrate BeneTalk to practice with your own speech technique. This means you can give BeneTalk an example of how you want to speak throughout the day and it will let you know if you are hitting your objectives or not. You could do this individually, or ideally with the help of a speech and language specialist. Our free BeneTalk app (available from April 2020) will include a prolonged speech method BeneTalk Digital Environment and cognitive behavioural therapy techniques that you can work through at your own pace.

The Camperdown Program uses a prolonged speech method which is easy to learn and highly effective. It is very unlike the McGuire technique, which mainly focuses on breathing.

Do you have a question we can help you with? Or maybe a suggestion you think we should take on board? Whatever it is, we would love to hear from you. Contact us at speak@benetalk.com

The BeneTalk device can be worn across a wide range of communicative contexts, this means that anonymous data collected can be used to paint a broad picture of the speaking habits of people who stutter. The insight provided by such information can improve our understanding of how to support individuals, as well as the stuttering community as a whole. Previous research suggests technological approaches can make a difference to people who stutter, as well as others. Take a look at our blogpost to learn more: https://buff.ly/34uwBnr

Our first study will start at the end of January 2020 with the University of Reading. Participants will receive a full course of the Camperdown Program, which has extensively documented positive outcomes via telehealth (e.g. Skype). The participants will be split into two groups; both will receive the same speech therapy programme, however members in one group will wear the BeneTalk device. This will allow us to evaluate the success of the device in reinforcing the skills learnt in the speech therapy session. The results of the data analysis will be presented at the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) Convention in San Diego and discussed in a research paper published after the study is completed.