Voices Unveiled: Breaking Barriers with Speech Accessibility

Voices Unveiled: Breaking Barriers with Speech Accessibility YOPN 54:22

The YOPN Podcast is proud to present Mark Hasagawa-Johnson and Clarion Mendes as we discuss the Speech Accessibility Project

The Speech Accessibility Project aims to collect diverse speech samples to improve the representation of speech patterns in machine learning models. UIUC researchers will recruit paid volunteers to contribute recorded voice samples, creating a private dataset. This dataset will be used to train machine learning models and enhance their understanding of various speech patterns, starting with American English. By collaborating with multiple groups, the project seeks to accelerate the development of technologies that support communities with diverse speech patterns

Now recruiting! https://speechaccessibilityproject.beckman.illinois.edu/

The Speech Accessibility Project is now recruiting for participants with Parkinson’s and related neurological conditions like MSA, PSP, and post-DBS. U.S. residents over the age of 18 are eligible.

Mark Hasagawa-Johnson is a researcher at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He has devoted his 30-plus-year career to developing communication tools and technologies and ensuring their accessibility for everyone. His research focuses on automatic speech recognition, and he is the lead researcher of the Speech Accessibility Project, a multi-year initiative that aims to improve voice-recognition technology by collecting audio samples from volunteers with a variety of speech-impacted disabilities. Hasagawa-Johnson earned his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was recently named a Fellow of the International Speech Communication Association.

Clarion Mendes is a speech-language pathologist and a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She received her M.A. in speech-language pathology from UIUC and brings 14 years of SLP experience to the Speech Accessibility Project team. Mendes’s rich clinical and teaching portfolio includes health equity, treatment protocols for gender-diverse individuals seeking voice modification, and quality of life improvements for individuals with acquired communication disorders and differences. She is a member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health and is OutCare Health certified.

Michael Quaglia YOPN PODCAST

My name is Michael Quaglia, and I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease at the age of 42 in October 2006. For the next eight years, I worked tirelessly to climb the corporate ladder, hoping to accumulate enough wealth before the symptoms of the disease forced me into early retirement. Looking back, I wish I had made different choices.

In 2014, I stumbled upon two articles that changed the course of my life. The first was a study by the Cleveland Clinic, which found that "forced exercise" could significantly improve Parkinson's symptoms. The second was a video made by a small non-profit organization called Rock Steady Boxing, which demonstrated the benefits of non-contact boxing for people with Parkinson's.

Inspired by the potential benefits of exercise and boxing for Parkinson's patients, I dedicated my life to helping others and myself fight back against the symptoms of the disease. As a result, I have become an advocate for people with Parkinson's and an active member of the Parkinson's community.

To help get the word out in 2016 I started a Podcast "2 Mikes" with a friend Mike Achin. Seven years later we're sponsored by the Young Onset Parkinson's Network, we have numerous cohosts and our content resonates with the PD community.

Before my diagnosis, I worked as a Sales Manager for Engineering staffing agencies, but my journey with Parkinson's has led me down a different path, one in which I find fulfillment and purpose in making a positive impact on the lives of others.