Voice-Assisted Technology for People With Parkinson's Disease Experiencing Speech and Voice Difficulties: Co-Designing Solutions Using Design Thinking.
Jodie Mills, George Kernohan, Katy Pedlow and 1 others
PMID 41637741WHAT IT FOUND
People with Parkinson's and therapists co-designed solutions to make smart speakers usable for speech therapy.
They identified education gaps and requested specific features like prompts for volume, clearer feedback, and privacy controls to support home practice.
Key findings
01Participants identified a lack of knowledge about existing smart speaker features and requested education on how to use them for therapy.
02Users requested new speech-therapy-specific features, including visual feedback on volume and clarity, and routines that prompt louder speech.
03Privacy concerns and data security were significant barriers that participants wanted addressed through clear guidance and informed consent processes.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study did not test the effectiveness of the proposed solutions; it only designed them. The sample was small (n=20) and did not include people with advanced Parkinson's or severe dysarthria, limiting generalizability. Workshops were conducted online, which may have excluded those with significant digital literacy barriers or severe physical impairments. The rapid pace of technology change means some specific device features mentioned may become outdated quickly.
Declared interests
None declared.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this as evidence that smart speakers improve speech outcomes. This study only co-designed potential tools and identified barriers; it did not test whether using these tools actually helps patients speak more clearly or confidently.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →