September 20, 2024

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Virtual Reality Empowers Study of Speech Patterns in the U.S.

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Researchers at Michigan State University’s Developmental Speech Lab are pioneering virtual reality (VR) simulations to understand better the development of stuttering in young children. This innovative approach aims to enhance diagnostic and treatment methods for stuttering children.

Image credit: msutoday.msu.edu

Bridget Walsh directs the pediatric lab. She is a certified speech-language pathologist and Brandt-Endowed Associate Professor in MSU’s Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders. Bridget and her team seek to uncover why stuttering persists in some children while others outgrow it and identify other factors contributing to speech fluency.

“People who stutter often report that speaking in certain situations causes them to stutter more or less,” Bridget explained. “Variability is one of the hallmark features of stuttering, and it’s a significant challenge for people. However, replicating real-world communication situations in a lab setting to research this variability has always been difficult.”

To address this, Bridget’s team collaborated with the founder of a VR software firm specialising in customisable VR speaking scenarios for speech therapists and researchers. The founder, who personally experiences stuttering, has secured support from prominent backers, including the United Kingdom’s National Health Service, for his software, which is utilised in both clinical and research environments.
Together, they crafted two VR scenarios for the study: a “higher-load” condition featuring a virtual classroom circle and a “lower-load” interaction with a virtual pet.
These scenarios were tailored specifically for young children, incorporating feedback on how they would behave and speak in the virtual classroom setting, as the original VR tool’s coffee shop scene was unsuitable for four- and five-year-olds.

The VR environments offer realistic contexts, addressing the challenge of laboratory results often failing to capture real-life speech dynamics. Early sessions with control participants- children who do not stutter – have recently begun using these VR scenarios, bringing fresh excitement to the project, which has been two years in the making.

The lab has a welcoming spaceship theme to ensure children feel at ease and are encouraged to return for follow-up studies. These longitudinal studies are vital for tracking the development of stuttering over time.

As the study progresses, the team envisions VR technology will illuminate the intricacies of stuttering variability and lead to more effective therapies, ultimately improving the lives of those who stutter. “This research has promising clinical implications for helping those who stutter practice speaking in realistic, controlled environments,” Bridget said.

The MSU Developmental Speech Lab welcomes families interested in participating in its study. The lab explicitly seeks families with children ages 3-6 who stutter or children ages 4-6 who exhibit typical speech and language to complete a survey.

The implementation of VR in this research represents a significant step forward in leveraging digital technology for clinical purposes. Simulating real-life scenarios in a controlled, repeatable manner allows researchers to observe and measure stuttering in previously impossible ways. This innovation promises to advance our understanding of stuttering and opens new avenues for personalised and effective treatment strategies.

Digital technology, particularly VR, provides a unique opportunity to recreate complex, variable communication environments that mirror the daily challenges faced by individuals who stutter. By immersing children in these scenarios, researchers can gain deeper insights into the factors influencing stuttering and develop targeted interventions that address these specific challenges.

VR in speech pathology exemplifies how digital tools can enhance research methodologies, offering more nuanced and comprehensive data collection. This approach can significantly improve the accuracy of diagnostic processes and the effectiveness of treatment plans, substantially impacting the quality of life for children who stutter and their families.

As digital technology continues to evolve, its integration into fields like speech pathology underscores its potential to revolutionise healthcare and research. The collaboration between MSU researchers and VR highlights the importance of interdisciplinary partnerships in driving innovation and improving clinical outcomes. Through such initiatives, the future of stuttering treatment looks increasingly promising, with digital technology at the forefront of this transformative journey.

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