NSF convergence accelerator track h: an inclusive, human-centered, and convergent framework for transforming voice AI accessibility for people who stutter
Active Cooperative Agreement Awarded Last action
- Award ID
- 2345086
- Recipient
-
Michigan State University UEI R28EKN92ZTZ9 Part of Michigan State University
- Awarding agency
-
National Science Foundation
- Obligated
- $5,000,000
Award facts
- Assistance listing
- 47.084 NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships
- Completion date 97% complete
- Place of performance
- East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
Award details come from USAspending.gov.
Description
- Abstract
- In a society increasingly navigated through voice-activated artificial intelligence (voice AI), people who stutter-representing over 3 million americans and roughly 80 million individuals globally-face a major barrier: existing voice AI technologies frequently fail to recognize disfluent speech patterns, leading to a cascade of disadvantages in accessibility, employment, and societal inclusion. This project addresses this pressing concern by transforming voice AI into an inclusive platform that comprehends and respects the diversity of human speech. By reimagining voice AI through the lens of those who stutter, this project not only champions the cause of a historically marginalized group; IT also enhances voice technology for everyone, because all speakers are disfluent to some extent. Aligning with NSF's mission, these advancements promote scientific progress, foster national welfare, and contribute to a more inclusive society by embracing and understanding diverse speech patterns. Operationalizing a human-centered and convergent paradigm, this project sets out to accomplish four key synergistic objectives: (1) cultivating a multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral network of stakeholders to steer impactful outcomes, (2) articulating a holistic vision for user-centric voice AI, (3) designing a comprehensive set of adaptive voice AI solutions and establishing a testbed for their evaluation, and (4) drafting guidelines for managing associated voice AI risks. Harnessing cutting-edge AI technology, the project will pioneer inclusive training and test datasets as well as annotation for accessible automatic speech recognition (ASR) and develop advanced ASR deep learning models. The adopted methodology encompasses iterative research, continuous engagement with end-users to pinpoint existing and future barriers, and stringent evaluations of solution efficacy. The overarching goal is to transform voice AI, through an ecosystem that is accessible and responsive to all, thereby ensuring that every voice is heard. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.
Transactions
| Action | Obligated | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Amendment | $1,000,000 | |
| Amendment | $2,000,000 | |
| Amendment | $0 | |
| Original award | $2,000,000 |
Subawards
| Subrecipient | Amount | Awarded |
|---|---|---|
| Friends: The National Association Of Young People Who Stutter | $376,875 | |
| Western Michigan University | $499,361 | |
| Western Michigan University | $193,236 | |
| Friends: The National Association Of Young People Who Stutter | $129,791 |
Quick answers
Who received award 2345086?
2345086 was awarded to Michigan State University by National Science Foundation on December 15, 2023.
How much is award 2345086 worth?
$5,000,000 has been obligated on 2345086.
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