Samsung’s Latest Impulse App Leverages AI To Help With Speech Therapy

Samsung has found a new way to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and put it to great use. The company has its own suite of AI-based tools and features, which it likes to call Galaxy AI. The suite made its debut with Samsung’s flagship smartphone series -- Galaxy S24.

While Galaxy AI is aimed at boosting productivity and device customization, Samsung has also announced the advent of Impulse -- a new mobile app that is meant to leverage AI to improve the daily lives of people with speech disorders.

As per Samsung, around 70 million individuals have some sort of speech disorder, which is categorized by stuttering, repetitions, or prolongations of sounds, words, or syllables. Samsung says these speech disorders have previously been treated through what’s known as “rhythm therapy.” Such therapies are capable of creating a subconscious compass in the human brain that helps improve linguistic fluency.

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How Does The Impulse App Work?

Now for the big question, how does the Impulse app work? The app has been developed by Samsung Electronics Iberia and Cheil — a marketing company under the Samsung umbrella.

The app runs on an algorithm based on Natural Language Processing to analyze words and turn them into rhythmic vibrations sent to the user’s wrist through Samsung’s Galaxy smartwatches. Samsung says the Impulse app is compatible with Android phones and Galaxy Watch 6-series watches.

When the app runs on a Galaxy Watch, it tells users the tempo of all the words or as per “the particularities of the patient's disorder.” This type of “rhythm therapy” enables the user to determine their speech rhythm and avoid blocks while speaking.

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How Will Impulse Aim Aid Speech Disorders

The company suggests that more functionalities will be added to the app with time, and the app will also offer over 250 rhythm and tone exercises. The difficulty in exercises will also ramp up with users’ journey in speech control. Users will get three exercise levels for each mode, i.e., Boost your voice, Boost your rhythm, Boost your tone, and Boost your speech.

Currently, the Impulse app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store in Spain, but the company hasn’t suggested anything specific about a global launch of the app.

Boost your voice can be activated with a touch on the device and it can be configured manually. The user is allowed to program the vibration pattern that they want to use regularly, and they will get triggered when oral blockages occur.

Boost your speech mode enables users to practice their own texts, written directly in the app or by uploading a file. Here, the AI analyzes the text and generates a vibration pattern based on it and the intonation users want to give.