The Echo™ as a Speaker-Independent Speech Recognition Device to Support Children with Autism: an Exploratory Study

Abstract

Everyday, consumer-level technologies such as mobile technologies may lend themselves to be repurposed for special needs of the populations. In this three-part study, we aimed to investigate whether the Amazon Echo™, a popular personal assistant general consumer product, can function as a speaker-independent device that permits the hands-free retrieval of visual supports for children with autism. Phase 1 investigated whether the Echo's speaker-independent speech recognition system, linked to a proprietary Amazon BSkill,ĉ ould retrieve visual supports in order to facilitate direction following (e.g., Bput the girl under the bowl^). The accuracy with which the Echo retrieved and delivered visual supports to the iPad was found to be low, suggesting that the Echo cannot function as a speaker-independent speech recognition system. Subsequently, we customized the vocabulary that was delivered to the Echo with the relevant vocabulary and repeated the protocol in phase 2. A significant increase in accuracy was noted. Finally, in phase 3, the experimenter asked the Echo to retrieve visual supports in the presence of a child with autism while monitoring correct implementation of directives based on successful retrieval by the Echo. Results will be discussed in terms of implications for future research.

Internet-of-Things Devices in Support of the Development of Echoic Skills among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

“…ASPECT was developed within the Amazon Web Services framework using a set of Lambda functions and Amazon’s automatic speech recognition (ASR) engine [ 27 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Using the framework, similarly to [ 20 ], we built a custom intent model based on a set of 357 utterances (please see the supplement for the list of utterances) that were used to practice verbal and echoic skills. An utterance is a word or a small group of words standing together as a conceptual unit.…”

“…Allen et al [ 20 ] investigated the accuracy of phrase recognition of an Alexa-based DVA spoken by a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in the context of therapy aimed at children with ASD. The reported accuracy was low (almost 9%) and increased to over 45% when the relevant phrases were uploaded to augment the skill’s vocabulary.…”

Provable Consent for Voice User Interfaces

“…Speech recognition by mobile VUIs has been studied intensively over the last decades [1]. Through advanced signal processing [3], noise filters [4], processing of recorded audio [5], and language-specific models [6], impressive speechrecognition accuracy has been achieved [7], both in speakerdependent [8] and speaker-independent [9] approaches. This success has spurred a proliferation of speech-audio interfaces in all kinds of commercial devices in recent years [10].…”

Introducing a Virtual Assistant to the Lab: A Voice User Interface for the Intuitive Control of Laboratory Instruments

“…Allen et al used an Amazon Echo with a custom skill for a hands-free request of visual support on a tablet within a clinical study, while Miehle et al presented a concept for VAs as a support in surgical operating rooms. 7,8 A smart cabinet with a VUI deploying an Amazon Echo in a custom service environment was developed by Ennis et al as a support for the elderly in everyday situations. 9 Also, a skill for assistance in chemistry labs was developed recently.…”