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Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dynavox Group: New study in Germany validates life-changing effects and positive economic impact of assistive communication
STOCKHOLM, May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The health economic study "Exploring the Benefits of Assistive Communication," conducted in Germany, confirms that assistive communication delivers significant improvements in well-being for users and their network, as well as clear economic benefits to society. The study was carried out by the research firm Augur and was commissioned by Dynavox Group AB. The research was conducted to evaluate the benefits of high-tech assistive communication across Germany, with a focus on users with ALS, cerebral palsy and autism, as well as their network, such as family members and caregivers. The results show that communication aids have a positive impact on all aspects of how the World Health Organization (WHO) measures quality of life; physical health, mental health, social relationships and living environment. The benefits of using assistive communication* mainly impact three groups: users, their network and society. The research conducted in Germany is Augur's second study exploring the benefits of high-tech assistive communication. It follows a similar health economic study conducted in Sweden last year which confirmed the positive impact of assistive communication for users, their network and Swedish society. Nearly doubled quality of life for usersLike the study in Sweden, the German research shows that overall quality of life is almost doubled among users with a communication aid, compared to how life would have been without it. Among the main benefits expressed by users in Germany: 78% feel they can express their own desires and preferences 70% feel encouraged to communicate 66% feel they can go beyond expressing basic needs These benefits are deemed to bring greater independence, participation in society and substantially improved quality of life. Enhanced ability to work reduces costs for societyAssistive communication can save German society the equivalent of €11 300 per user over a five-year period, or close to one and a half times the average cost of a communication aid, largely from: increased ability to work for caregivers decreased healthcare utilization by users decreased sick leave by users Improved understanding of user needs with better communication The study confirms that assistive communication brings improved understanding between users and their close network, including family members and caregivers. Among the main benefits expressed by caregivers in Germany: 78% can better understand and meet the user's needs 72% feel that the user is less dependent on them as an interpreter 68% express less guesswork in communication, fewer misunderstandings As a result of this, nearly half of the caregivers say they feel less worried about what the user wants or needs when communication aids are used. "The health economic study in Germany shows that assistive communication is truly life-changing for people with disabilities, empowering more people to work, and saving significant costs for society. By commissioning this research, we wish to raise awareness of assistive communication and improve regulatory access to communication aids," said Marcel Porcedda, Regional Manager for Tobii Dynavox in Germany. "The ability to express one´s thoughts and feelings is a human right. As a national organization supporting young people with disabilities, we see that assistive technology is vital to help children and adolescents to be included in life and participate actively in daycare, education, and transition into work life. It helps relieve parents and siblings to be able to focus more on work or school as the children are more independent, which can also reduce unemployment and save costs for society. This health economic study clearly shows that there are both human and economic reasons for making communication aids available for more people in need," said Christiana Hennemann, Head of rehaKIND e.V in Germany. Please find the full report here: more information about the previous health-economic study in Sweden, please read more here. Both studies concluded that there is compelling evidence for investing in assistive communication, from both quality of life and economic aspects. *Definition of assistive communicationAssistive communication, also referred to as AAC (augmentative and alternative communication), is any form of communication used in addition to or instead of speech for people with a wide variety of disabilities, such as ALS, cerebral palsy and non-speaking autism. It can consist of no technology, light-tech resources, or high-tech solutions. The health economic study surveyed high-tech AAC usage, also referred to as communication aids, comprising hardware and software that empower an individual to speak. About the studyIn 2024 and 2025, the research company Augur conducted a health economic study commissioned by Dynavox Group AB on the use of assistive communication for people with disabilities. The study explored how assistive communication benefits individuals with conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism and ALS, and people in their network, such as family members, caregivers and assistants. The communication aids used by the participants come from various suppliers, including Tobii Dynavox. The study was conducted through a combination of in-depth interviews and a quantitative online survey, with a total of 196 participants located across Germany. A health economic analysis was conducted by a health economist to calculate the impact on society. The study participants were invited via independent industry associations and other existing contacts of Dynavox Group, as well as through social media. Contact Anders Lundin, Senior PR & Communications Manager, Tobii Dynavox, phone: +46 (0)733 27 87 61, email: This information was brought to you by Cision The following files are available for download: Press release Health Economic Study in Germany 2025 Health economic study Germany 2025 View original content: Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Associated Press
13-02-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
World's Largest Virtual AI Startup Competition Featuring $500K+ Prize Pool Kicks off March 3rd
02/13/2025, Toronto, Canada // KISS PR Brand Story PressWire // GDA Capital and Alpaca Network, in partnership with Founders Hub Network & Devolved AI, are proud to announce the inaugural Next Top AI Agent, the world's largest AI agent start-up competition bringing together over 4 million developers and tech leaders virtually to build and present their most impactful AI agents over the course of 1 month. This event features a prize pool exceeding $500,000 in grants and prizes and reaches a global audience of top innovators and enthusiasts. Virtual AI Startup Competition Next Top AI Agent competition will run March 3-31, 2025 The competition features a structured one-month incubation period, where participants will refine their startups with continuous guidance and incentives. Additionally, expert-led webinars throughout the competition will provide vital insights into succeeding in the AI and blockchain space. 'Our mission is to inspire and support the next wave of AI entrepreneurs,' said Joaquim Miro, Core Contributor at Alpaca Network. 'By offering funding, mentorship, and education, we are unlocking the untapped potential of global innovators.' The startup competition is also hosted in partnership with the Blockchain Education Network (BEN)—renowned for nurturing Web3 unicorns like Augur, Iota, and Optimism. Many universities, from both the student and faculty perspective, are getting involved in the competition to direct builders on campus. 'AI and blockchain technology are both disruptive technologies and through this competition, we aim to inspire the brightest minds globally to drive innovation and solve real-world challenges at the convergence of these two transformative technologies. In addition, we want to create the startup initiatives that we wish existed while we were in University for young entrepreneurs to access the capital and network to build companies faster,' said Michael Gord, Founder & CEO of GDA Capital. 'Next Top AI Agents is not just a competition; it's a platform to accelerate innovation and scale AI projects globally,' said Nathan Peterson, Founder & CEO of Devolved AI. Vaughn DiMarco, Core Contributor at Alpaca Network followed with 'We are empowering builders with the tools and resources to achieve market-ready solutions; we are excited to find the hidden gems and help them shine.' The Next Top Startup Competition series has previously garnered support from industry leaders including Mastercard, JP Morgan, Oracle, Robinhood, Super Shyft, Bullperks & TrustSwap. These partnerships ensure that participants have access to unparalleled mentorship and resources to launch real companies after the end of the competition. About GDA Capital GDA Capital is a global leader in digital asset investment and capital markets advisory, specializing in go to market and go public strategies, capital formation, and tokenomics. The firm is at the forefront of the blockchain and AI revolution, enabling disruptive blockchain projects to reach their full potential. About Devolved AI Devolved AI leverages decentralized tokenization to power AI development and adoption. The company's mission is to empower innovators to create and manage decentralized large language models. About Alpaca Network Alpaca Network is the home and onramp for AI Agents, by providing cutting-edge tools for AI model tokenization, bridging the gap between traditional finance and emerging AI technologies. PacaSearch is currently the largest AI Agent search engine in the world with over 18,000 AI Agents and AI applications. The tech lab is also about to release a 3 click tokenization platform for open source AI models in February, which will work 100% on BASE chain, allowing 1.3 million model developers to crowdfund more easily via Initial Model Offerings. Media Contact
