Harnessing portable smart-camera technology for people with aphasia
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Harnessing portable smart-camera technology (p-SCT) to support the communication skills of people with aphasia
IRAS ID
333814
Contact name
Anna Caute
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
North East London NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
Aphasia is a communication disorder caused by damage to the brain. It can make it hard to talk, understand, read and write, affecting a person’s social life, ability to work and wellbeing. About 350,000 people in the UK have aphasia. Speech and Language Therapy helps people with aphasia to improve their communication skills and manage their condition independently.
Technology can be used to practise communication skills and overcome difficulties. “Smart cameras” can take pictures of text and read it out loud for people who struggle with reading. They can also recognise faces, learn people’s names, and describe things. This technology is portable and relatively cheap (e.g. smartphone apps). It is designed for people with visual impairment. We don’t yet know how useful or user-friendly it is for people with aphasia.
Our study aims to use existing smart-camera technology in a new way to help people with aphasia improve their spoken language and reading. The therapy will involve training, problem-solving and practice in using the technology independently in real-life situations.
Before starting the project, the technology was shown to people with aphasia and therapists, who gave their opinions on its use, benefits and challenges. Their insights informed project planning, and people with aphasia and therapists will continue to be involved in the research.
Collaborating with 12 people with aphasia and six therapists, we will host four focus groups. Participants will explore how smart-camera technology can enhance communication, try different types of technology and contribute ideas for therapy activities. We will write a manual explaining the therapy, followed by three workshops to gather feedback for improvement.REC name
West Midlands - Black Country Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/WM/0093
Date of REC Opinion
24 Jul 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion