Improving communication post-stroke is as Simple as Jimple AI

Our vision, partnering with Jimple (https://jimple.io/), is to develop individually tailored intervention for post-stroke aphasia to improve each person’s well-being, health and quality of life and reduce their disability. Jimple is an artificial intelligence (AI) communication app that delivers sophisticated augmentative alternative communication (AAC), not available with current AAC options. Jimple can be used in everyday situations and for health care. This is a small-scale development project to establish feasible, evidence-based approaches, ready to scale research to an effectiveness randomised control trial. Jimple has been designed with equity of access at the forefront and will work regardless of the device operating platform or availability of internet access. Jimple is scalable and adaptable, perfect for individualised intervention. Stroke is the second leading cause of death and third leading cause of disability worldwide and results in significant economic and societal cost. In Australia, the lifetime risk of stroke from the age of 25 years is one in five. Stroke outcomes affect thousands of Australians annually, especially in regional communities where access to earlier intervention and acute stroke services are limited. This contributes to a $6B p.a. stroke burden in Australia. Even with modern acute stroke therapy, one in three stroke survivors has aphasia, a communication disorder after stroke. Aphasia results from stroke causing disruption to brain network which govern language and speech production in the left hemisphere3. Stroke survivors with aphasia have difficulties understanding others and/or expressing their needs. Speech and language therapy (SLT) is effective in improving aphasia. However, SLT can take time to access, due to wait-lists, implement and take effect. AAC is used as a support for communication, short or long-term, but existing systems are basic and do not harness technological advances. Aphasic stroke survivors and their carers can experience significant frustration in their inability to express their wishes and needs. This interferes with daily activities, such as toileting, and medical issues (e.g symptoms such as headache, worsening of arm or leg weakness) that can reduce well-being and quality of life and increase health risks and disability. Staff and family members have described communication with stroke survivors like living in a foreign country.