Audivers 360º, immersive reality speech therapy for individuals with hearing impairment

Ferran Benito on 31 January 2024

Dues usuàries del servei Audivers 360º en una sala de realitat immersiva.

A pioneering project in speech therapy with immersive reality, aimed at children and adults with hearing loss

Audivers 360º seeks to apply new technologies to transform conventional speech therapy sessions into experiences that allow individuals to immerse themselves in the real sounds of an environment, making the session more natural, enriching and efficient.

In collaboration with Broomx, the technological company that owns the tool, they have created immersive scenarios adapted to the needs of people with hearing impairment. With these immersive scenarios, all the objectives set in a conventional speech therapy session are addressed, comprehensively reinforcing aspects of hearing, language and communication. They address aspects such as sound detection and discrimination, recognition, verbal expression and comprehension, as well as other aspects of language pragmatics.

Simultaneously, while these activities are carried out, they are working on other aspects such as executive functions, auditory memory, motivation towards speech therapy and emotional well-being, among others. This innovative methodology has a direct and significant impact on the social inclusion process of adults and children with hearing loss, addressing and incorporating all auditory, communicative and emotional needs to successfully carry out and optimize speech therapy sessions.

Characteristics of innovation

Publications, Cross-cutting intervention, Disability, Independent living, New model of intervention, Pilot project, User empowerment

Localization

Barcelona, Catalonia

Partners / Funders

Social Rights and Health Departament from Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona City Council and Fundació la Caixa

Genesis

A pioneering project in virtual reality speech therapy sparked the organization’s interest in the opportunities and new methodologies that technologies can bring to speech therapy sessions. Virtual reality allowed the transformation of traditional sessions by connecting the sound of an environment in a practical and intuitive way. This approach enhances the engagement and motivation of the individual receiving therapy, who observes results more rapidly. However, the association perceived shortcomings in the virtual reality’s support for the speech therapist. At that moment, they discovered the immersive reality rooms at Suara Cooperativa and saw a potential solution to the issue: applying immersive reality to speech therapy. In 2022, they began developing the idea, which eventually took shape in May 2023.

Level of implementation

Audivers 360º is still in the pilot phase. Test sessions are being conducted with 20 individuals with hearing impairment, including both children and adults. These sessions will be evaluated based on the participant’s satisfaction level and the assessment of speech therapists regarding the methodology and outcomes of the sessions, both quantitatively and qualitatively. The project was awarded the Graustic 2023 Prize for Social Integration through Digitalization, sponsored by the iSocial Foundation.

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e-Rueca, a virtual support for citizens at risk of exclusion

Ferran Benito on 23 January 2024

Usuària utilitzant l'aplicació eRueca amb el mòbil

User using the eRueca application with the mobile phone

A virtual social center that provides information, guidance, and support to individuals facing social exclusion through a multi-channel online connection.

e-Rueca is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and is a completely free service. The application is designed as a physical care center, a building with multiple floors and service rooms where users can find and interact with teams of professionals ready to help them, provide support, and offer information. The more than 10 technicians involved in this project provide user support in various intervention fields. Of the eight rooms that e-Rueca makes available to the user, five are dedicated to direct social and psychological care: the Psychology Room, the Work Room, the Legal and Immigration Room, the Social Care Room, and the Youth Room; in these rooms, they offer everything from legal advice for foreigners to mediation. They also provide answers to frequently asked questions related to each intervention area and a section of resources in text and video format. With these five rooms, the different needs for accompaniment and support of people in situations of social exclusion are covered, always taking into account their specific circumstances.

The remaining three rooms are: the Reception, which provides information about the project and its goals; the Exhibition Room, where tools and resources (hobbies, games, tests, infographics, etc.) are collected with the aim of raising awareness about situations and groups in social vulnerability; and the auditorium, a meeting space for third-sector professionals that includes updates related to online training, webinars, or events that the organization makes available to professionals.

Communication between users and professionals is possible through various channels. The most direct is instant chat, but it is also possible to make inquiries via SMS, WhatsApp, email, or video calls. If the user requests it, the possibility of face-to-face assistance with a hybrid option is also considered. The team of professionals responds within a maximum of 48 hours. Thus, in a simple way and through mobile devices, tablets, and computers, vulnerable individuals can contact and receive the attention they need quickly and efficiently.