Background

What is SpeechEasy?

SpeechEasy is a fully portable and inconspicuous fluency-enhancing device for people who stutter. It resembles a hearing aid and fits in the ear.

Who developed SpeechEasy?

The impetus for developing SpeechEasy came from research at the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department, East Carolina University by inventors Joseph Kalinowski, Ph.D., Andrew Sturat, Ph.D., and Michael Rastatter, Ph.D. Its conception was based on 10 years worth of peer reviewed scientific research on the fluency enhancing effects of altered auditory feedback in people who stutter.

What is altered auditory feedback?

Altered auditory feedback simply means hearing your own voice in a manner that is slightly different from the way you normally hear it. SpeechEasy allows the user to listen to his or her own voice with Delayed Auditory Feedback (DAF), Frequency Altered Feedback (FAF), or a combination of the two. Using DAF allows the user hear their own voice with a slightly temporal delay, similar to an echo. FAF allows the user to hear their own with a shift in the pitch, so the signal heard is either at slightly higher or slightly lower in pitch than the person’s own voice.

How do DAF and FAF help people who stutter become more fluent?

For years it has been known that when people who stutter speak the same material in unison with another speaker, they become fluent. This is known as “Choral Speech”. By allowing the user to hear their own voice with a pitch shift, a slight time delay or a combination of both, SpeechEasy creates the illusion of another speaker speaking at the same time. It is an emulation of choral speech.

What evidence is there of the fluency enhancing the effects of DAF and FAF?

Ten years worth of scientific research conducted at Dalhousie University and East Carolina University have shown that the use of DAF and FAF can enhance fluency levels up to 90% in a variety of situations including reading, monologue, using the telephone and speaking in front of audience. This research has been published in top scientific journals. Please refer to the references section of the website www.speecheasy.com.

But I heard DAF should only be used to slow down the rate of speech in a similar manner to what is taught in traditional therapies….

Wrong. The use of DAF with people who stutter has been around for 50 years, but in the early days long delays (200ms) and higher could induce slower speaking rates which were thought to be responsible for the higher fluency levels attained. Since then it has been found that DAF enhances fluency at much smaller delays (50-100ms), and even at barely perceptible delays of 25 ms, without at decrease in speech rate. Furthermore, DAF has shown to enhance fluency even when speaking at fast rates (see references).

If AAF has been around for so long, why has it taken so long for SpeechEasy to become available?

The use of AAF in helping people who stutter become more fluent remained essentially a clinical phenomenon for such a long time due to the large bulky devices that were used to provide the effects. Only with recent technological advances have these effects been captured in a device so small and inconspicuous, allowing them to be used outside clinical environments.

How did he technology come about?

SpeechEasy employs the same digital technology as the best digital hearing aids in the market. The computer chip that powers SpeechEasy was developed by a Canadian company named Micro-DSP upon request from the researchers at East Carolina University. The chip has the power equivalent of a Pentium 4.

How long has SpeechEasy been around?

East Carolina University received the first prototypes in April 2001. Since Dr. Joseph Kalinowski, a severe stutterer himself, has been using SpeechEasy to help him communicate and finds the device invaluable. Sales of SpeechEasy started in July 2001.

Who markets SpeechEasy?

SpeechEasy is marketed in Europe by AurisMed AS, Sandefjord, Norway since March 2004.

Properties

What models of SpeechEasy are available?

SpeechEasy comes in two models. The first is an In-The-Canal (ITC) model. It is the slightly larger of the two models, but it is still relatively inconspicuous, with only outer shell visible in the ear. The ITC also features external gain (volume) control. The other model is the Completely-In-the-Canal (CIC) model, which sits completely in the ear canal. It is almost totally inconspicuous and due to wide dynamic range compression, does not require external gain control.

Which model is best?

That depends. For those who want the device to be as inconspicuous as possible, obviously the CIC appears to be the best option. However, for some people with smaller ear canals, a CIC may not be a viable option. Also, some people may require or prefer the external gain control option.

How is SpeechEasy programmed?

SpeechEasy is programmed using PC and SpeechEasy software. DAF of up to 128 ms can be programmed and FAF can be set at 500, 1000, 1500 or 2000 Hz shifts up or down. An internal gain control can also be programmed and the gain 8 frequency channels can be adjusted to produce the best signal. With this flexibility, SpeechEasy can be programmed to match the needs of any individual who stutters.

As the gain can be controlled, can SpeechEasy damage my hearing?

No. SpeechEasy is not a hearing aid and is not designed to provide enough gain to damage hearing. It is custom programmed at a comfortable loudness level.

Do I need to wear a SpeechEasy device in both ears?

No. SpeechEasy is designed for monaural use. Research has shown that the fluency enhancement derived from receiving the effects monaurally is almost equal to that achieved from binaural presentation effects.

How do I know SpeechEasy will fit my ear?

Each SpeechEasy device is custom fit to an individual’s ear canal. An audiologist takes an ear mould impression and the device is custom made for an individual using the impression of their ear.

Effectiveness

How effective is SpeechEasy?

SpeechEasy has now been tested on over 150 people who stutter. Nearly everyone who has tried the device has improved his/her fluency levels. However, levels of fluency enhancement have varied from about 50% improvement up to 95% improvement.

Do males and females respond differently?

No differences have been observed in the effectiveness of SpeechEasy across genders.

Will I become fluent immediately?

Some people are especially susceptible to the effects of AAF and seem to become almost fluent immediately upon inserting the SpeechEasy device. However, some people require some minimal training to derive the best benefits. During the assessment, the SpeechEasy distributor will train the user to derive the best benefits over a period of about 2 hours. During this time, most users become comfortable using the effects and see a continual enhancement of fluency. However, many users have stated that after they receive the device and use it for a few days employing the easy strategies taught by the distributor, that they achieve their highest fluency levels.

Will SpeechEasy cure stuttering?

SpeechEasy is NOT a cure for stuttering. We compare using the device to wearing glasses. The effects are present while the device is in use and absent upon removal of the device. However, some users report “carry-over” fluency, meaning that their fluency persists for some time after removal of SpeechEasy. However, no data exits to support this notion yet, and it is recommended that users of SpeechEasy wear the device as often as possible to get the best effects.

How well does SpeechEasy work in children?

Children seem especially susceptible to the beneficial effects of SpeechEasy. Every child tested to date has responded very well, showing very high levels of fluency while wearing SpeechEasy, with almost no training. It should be noted that the ITC model is recommended for children.

Do the effects of SpeechEasy wear off?

Many people who stutter complain about the relapse rates following traditional therapy and this is a very valid concern. To date, nobody has complained about “adapting” to the effects of SpeechEasy losing its power. On the contrary, most people who use SpeechEasy claim that as they get accustomed to the device and learn to integrate the signal, their fluency levels seem to continually improve.

Have there been complaints about SpeechEasy?

The only complaint has been that SpeechEasy picks up external noise as well as a person’s own speech, causing the signal to be distracting or lose its potency. However, these complaints have been few and from users who typically work or spend time in very noisy environments. The new software that will soon be available to programme SpeechEasy will have features that are designed to fix this problem. Among the features of the new software are voice activation and noise attenuation. The upgrades will be free to any current SpeechEasy user.

Is there scientific evidence to support the long-term benefits of SpeechEasy?

10 years of research has been conducted to test the effects of AAF, but to day no long-term data has been published. However, a long-term efficacy study is under way and the pilot data supports long term fluency enhancement using SpeechEasy.

Is SpeechEasy an alternative to stuttering therapy?

SpeechEasy may be viewed as an alternative or adjunct to stuttering therapy. Some users require no further training when using SpeechEasy and some require minimal training. People who have learned traditional therapy techniques and continue to employ them when using SpeechEasy report much higher levels of fluency enhancement and more natural sounding speech when using SpeechEasy in conjunction with therapy techniques as compared to using therapy techniques alone.

Availability

How do I get a SpeechEasy device?

The first step is to contact AurisMed AS in Sandefjord that will give you information and advice about SpeechEasy. SpeechEasy is new in Norway and Europe. At the moment SpeechEasy is distributed in Europe by Aurismed AS.

What does the evaluation involves?

The evaluation consists of a basic stuttering evaluation, followed by testing of a demo SpeechEasy model under various settings and during different speech tasks. Typically a person will be allowed to take the device outside the clinic to test it in more naturalistic environments.

What’s the next step?

If a person decides they like the effects and choose to purchase SpeechEasy, an ear mould impression needs to be taken by an audiologist, along with a hearing evaluation. The ear mould is then sent to the SpeechEasy shell lab for custom assembly of the device.

How long will it be until I receive my custom SpeechEasy device?

It usually takes 3-4 weeks following the assessment for the customer to receive their SpeechEasy device.

What are my payment options?

30% of the total price is required when ordering, i.e. under the first consultation or after a certain period after evaluation. When this sum is paid, then the ear mould will be send to the lab for assembly of the device. Rest balance is to be paid under the second consultation.

Will insurance cover SpeechEasy?

It is suggested that potential customers contact their own insurances companies for information regarding coverage.