STTR Phase I: Development and Validation of a Speech-Based Portable Concussion Screening Tool

这个小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力在于创建一个更快，更便携，更实惠，更可靠的脑震荡筛查工具。这一点很重要，因为在青少年体育赛事期间发生的脑震荡数量很大（估计每年有200万至400万例），而且脑震荡可能造成长期健康问题。该技术背后的主要概念是使用便携式设备的麦克风收集简短的语音样本，并进行即时语音分析，以通知医生或运动教练某些语音模式的重大偏差。随着广泛使用，这项技术将使脑震荡的检测更容易，更快，并将允许受伤的运动员尽快获得适当的治疗。这项技术的潜在市场仅在美国和欧盟。体育细分市场是60亿美元。这一估计是基于与现有脑震荡筛查工具相比具有竞争力的价格点。此外，这项技术有助于解决未经治疗的脑震荡的整体经济影响，估计每年超过600亿美元。 该项目将在开发一种基于语音作为生物标志物的新型脑震荡筛查工具方面发挥关键作用。目前，几乎90%的脑震荡仍未被发现，主要是由于缺乏易用，快速和准确的测试工具。该项目将提供更深入的了解脑损伤及其对语言产生的影响之间的关系，以及如何建立一个工具包来衡量这些变化。这个STTR团队？的第一阶段研究项目将导致在移动的设备上开发语音处理算法，能够测量任何设置下的语音变化。一旦开发出该工具，将进行概念验证研究，将医生诊断的脑震荡与Contect测试进行比较。根本目标

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is found in the creation of a faster, more portable, affordable, and reliable concussion screening tool. This is important because of the large number of concussions occurring during youth sport events (estimates range between 2 and 4 million cases per year) and the potential longterm health problems of concussions. The primary concept behind this technology is the collection of brief speech samples using the microphone of a portable device and the instant speech analysis that informs a physician or athletic trainer of significant deviations of certain speech patterns. With widespread use, this technology will make detection of concussions easier and faster and will allow injured athletes to obtain appropriate treatment as quickly as possible. The addressable market for this technology in just the U.S. and E.U. athletic market segments is $6B. This estimate is based on a competitive price point compared to existing concussion screening tools. Additionally, this technology helps address the overall economic impact of untreated concussions, which is estimated to be more than $60B annually. The proposed project will play a key role in the development of a novel concussion screening tool based on speech as a biomarker. Currently, almost 90% of concussions remain undetected, primarily due to the lack of easytouse, rapid, and accurate testing tools. The project will provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between brain injuries and their impacts on speech production, and how to build a toolkit to measure these changes. This STTR team?s Phase I research project will lead to the development of speech processing algorithms on mobile devices, capable of measuring speech changes in any setting. Once the tool is developed a proof of concept study will be undertaken which will compare physician diagnosed concussions versus the Contect test. The fundamental goal