Using Artificial Intelligence for Augmentative Alternative Communication for Children with Disabilities

Abstract : According to the World Health Organization, an estimated one billion people live with a disability. Millions of them are non-verbal, and also experience motor-skill challenges. The limitations on activity and restrictions on participation due to such disabilities often lead to discrimination and social exclusion. A UNICEF study analyzing data from 15 countries found that almost 50% of children with disabilities are out of school, and 85% of them did not receive any formal education. Affording enhanced and accelerated communication for disabled people, who continue to form the world’s largest minority to experience social discrimination, is central to making the world a more inclusive place. Our LIVOX application incorporates artificial intelligence algorithms to reduce the so-called “reciprocity gap” that acts as a communication barrier between disabled people and their interlocutors, thus enabling people with disabilities, especially children, to participate in daily social and educational activities. Integrating them into the existing social structures is central to making the world a more inclusive place.