Aural Analytics, Inc. Granted Foundational U.S. Patent for Using Speech to Detect, Diagnose and Track Neurological Disease

The patent covers key systems and methods for the evaluation of disease onset, disease progression or disease treatment efficacy

The patent also protects the use of any subjective or traditional clinical outcome measures in the development of speech-based algorithms for disease diagnosis and tracking

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aural Analytics, Inc., an industry leading speech neuroscience and speech analytics technology company, announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued US Patent number 10,796,715, an important foundational patent that broadly covers the use of a patient’s speech to diagnose and track neurological conditions including Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Huntington’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), traumatic brain injury (TBI), stroke and in other conditions where motor speech changes may occur.

Many neurological disorders that impact motor abilities result in changes to speech. The pattern of speech symptoms provides localizing information about where in the nervous system the disturbance is occurring. As these changes can be subtle and pre-clinical, objective algorithms for analyzing speech are required to detect them. This broad patent covers all algorithms and technology for extracting these speech characteristics, both in-the-clinic and remotely, as sensitive indicators to detect disease onset and track disease progression or treatment efficacy. Importantly, the patent protects the use of traditional clinical outcomes for the development of speech-based algorithms for diagnosis and tracking. This ensures Aural Analytics’ freedom to use current clinical gold standards as part of their computational analysis and development, while limiting the ability for others in the field to do the same.

The patent lays a foundation for the further integration of speech and voice analytics and biomarkers across the continuum of care in neurology. More frequent collection and objective assessments of speech could enable early intervention, better treatments and diagnostics, and can lead to personalized care pathways thereby improving patient outcomes and reducing long-term healthcare costs.

“Our researchers and technologists have worked for decades building new inventions and breakthroughs in the field of speech analytics for health applications. This newly issued patent further strengthens our company’s market leadership position and is a great step toward realizing our mission of using speech and voice to diagnose and track neurological and respiratory disease globally, across the continuum of care and throughout the lifespan,” said Daniel Jones, CEO and co-founder of Aural Analytics.

The systems and methods covered by the patent are implemented into several speech elicitation and analysis “modules” in the industry leading A2E technology suite, an integration ecosystem that enables the ubiquitous collection and analysis of speech in clinical and research settings. A2E is currently available for integration into iOS, Android and web-based applications, in 14 languages, and specialized for use in neurology and respiratory disease. The patent will also be used in Aural Analytics’ award-winning clinical trials application, Speech Vitals.

About Aural Analytics, Inc.

Aural Analytics is the industry’s leading speech neuroscience company building the world’s most advanced clinical-grade speech analytics platform for health applications across the lifespan. Currently available in 14 languages, Aural Analytics’ technologies provide rich, interpretable and validated metrics reflecting the neurological and respiratory health of its users. The company is founded on nearly three decades of NIH and NSF-funded research in speech neuroscience, is backed by dozens of high-caliber scientific publications, and has won several awards for its work in the field, including the prestigious Global SCRIP Award for Best Technology Development in Clinical Trials. Aural Analytics is based in Scottsdale, AZ. For more information, please visit auralanalytics.com or follow Aural Analytics on Twitter, LinkedIn, Medium and Facebook.