Voxello is partnering with Saltillo to develop a dedicated speech-generation device for hospitals.
Voxello provides solutions for disabled hospital patients who cannot communicate by traditional means. The company's first product, the noddle, allows disabled patients to access nurse call and speech-generation devices.
Saltillo's NOVA chat is a speech-generating device with proprietary software designed to help individuals acquire and use language skills.
The two companies have already developed both the software and templates that are needed for the critical care environment within the hospital, noddle-chat.
"Expanding this technology into the hospital is a significant endeavor. Voxello has done an outstanding job of identifying the hospital needs and meeting those with their unique device," said Dave Hershberger, president of Saltillo, in a statement. "We believe that our tailored software solution combined with Voxello's noddle device will have a significant impact on hospitalized patients. We are very pleased to be part of this effort."
"There are 3.9 million patients each year in our hospitals that cannot communicate by speaking. Our technology, coupled with Saltillo's, allows these patients to effectively communicate their needs," Voxello CEO Rives Bird said in a statement. "Current literature reports that these patients are three times more likely to experience a preventable adverse event compared to the rest of hospitalized patients. It's Voxello's goal to reduce these complications, thereby saving hospitals millions of dollars, while at the same time improving patient satisfaction."