Breaking Down Barriers & Making Connections through Open Source Human Augmentation

Restoring a person’s ability to communicate, move, and retain a level of independence is what the Scott-Morgan Foundation demonstrates in the above video. This open-source solution is modular allowing it to be customized to meet the needs of the individual.

The avatar of Erin Taylor, a 24-year-old woman recently diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), introduces the above video. The demonstration highlights this Scott-Morgan Foundation-led effort to preserve Taylor’s voice, personality, and physical mannerisms.

This is another milestone in a journey started in 2017 by the organization’s namesake, Peter Scott-Morgan. Scott-Morgan, also known as the human cyborg, augmented the abilities he lost to Motor Neurone Disease with software, electronics, and robotics.

Rapid Advancements Continue #

With the rise of Generative AI and the continuing advancement of robotics, it is easier and cheaper than ever to preserve a person’s voice, allow them to engage in real-time conversations, or navigate a self-driving wheelchair through eye movements.

Self-driving wheelchairs promise safety improvements. This article indicates that there are 100k annual visits to the emergency room due to wheelchair accidents. This is out of a population of approximately 3 million wheelchair users.

In an email exchange, LaVonne Roberts, Executive Director of the Scott-Morgan Foundation indicates, that since CES, they have additional partnerships and options for regenerating a person’s voice. She writes that the quality is better than the voice of Erin’s avatar in the above video.

Plus, it no longer requires a studio recording to capture the voice. A smartphone or a short social media video can provide the quality necessary to train the generative AI model.

An Open Source Village #

The Scott-Morgan Foundation is a focal point to advance the work of Peter Scott-Morgan. The open-source approach brings together a variety of technologies and expertise to create something greater than the sum of the parts. The modular approach promises the best solution for a given individual.

Participants in the demonstration at the Showstoppers CES  event include:

  • Hyper-realistic, AI-powered avatar from DeepBrain AI and Lenovo
  • On-device, personal LLM for predictive, generative AI from Lenovo
  • Eye-gaze tracking and AAC communication platform converging multimodal inputs, including eye tracking, ear, tongue, and wheelchair controls from IRISBOND
  • Smart independent mobility platform from LUCI Mobility
  • Circular keyboard interface from The Scott-Morgan Foundation
  • In-ear biometric control technology from EarSwitch
  • Tongue-operated, hands-free touchpad from Augmental

Author Ken Pyle, Managing Editor

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