Transforming lives, one word at a time.

VOCALERTᵀᴹ is an elegant, wearable device for patients living with Parkinson’s Disease and struggling with communication.

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Addressing an Unmet Problem.

Of the 10 million people living with Parkinson’s Disease, 70-90% of them have soft or garbled speech. This can lead to social isolation, depression and cognitive decline, which can lead to decreased life expectancies.

VOCALERTᵀᴹ

VocAlertᵀᴹ is a new device being developed to help people speak more clearly and confidently. It uses smart technology to block out background noise and focus on a patient’s voice. It is designed to reinforce techniques learned in voice therapy.

The device gently vibrates on the back of a patient’s neck if their voice gets too quiet, reminding them to amplify their voice using proper techniques. In early testing, people spoke about 3.5 decibels louder—like the difference between talking in a quiet room and a slightly noisy café—after just one 30-minute session.

When used together with voice therapy, VocAlert helped patients double their improvement in vocal loudness compared to therapy alone!

  • 2025

    * Completion of validation study

    * Selected for Techstars Emory Founder Catalyst Program

    * Selected for TiE Silicon Valley Mentors Program

  • 2026

    * Ergonomic and design modifications to current device

    * Development of software interface

    * Plan for regulatory approval and commercialization

  • 2027

    * Addition of new measurable voice and speech parameters to address other voice and speech conditions

    *Launch additional use-case scenarios

  • 2022-2024

    * Development of research prototype through partnership with the Georgia Institute of Technology and funding through the McCamish Parkinson’s Disease Innovation Program and the Emory-Udall Parkinson’s Disease Center Pilot Grant

“I found it [VocAlert] to be very effective at reminding me when my voice was decreasing, and it clearly helped maintain my voice for a longer period of time.”
— Parkinson's patient
“We love it! When my husband is wearing VocAlert, I don’t have to nag him to speak louder!”
— Care partner of Parkinson's patient
“Its hard for me to gauge how loudly I’m speaking, so when it [VocAlert] gives you a prompt you know that you’ve hit that level, and it’s nice to have that outside feedback.”
— Parkinson's patient
“It’s very easy to use, it’s not obstructive in any way, and it [VocAlert] didn’t interfere with any of my normal activities.”
— Parkinson's patient