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Mind’s Eye is the world’s first AI image-generation platform for people with MND. Now, people with fully capable minds, but trapped inside failing bodies, can finally express their thoughts and feelings.

MND causes people to lose control of their muscles, and they often communicate with augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, which allow them to use eye tracking and banked voices. While grateful for the technology, many are frustrated they’ve been robbed of the ability to express themselves. Even a banked voice lacks intonation, making it hard to express feelings. Additionally, eye tracking is arduous, so many MND patients stop trying to express themselves because it’s too difficult.

The MND Association wanted to change that by providing a tool for seamless self-expression to the MND community—to improve communication and relationships, allowing them to explore their feelings through easily generated art, and to bring joy into people’s lives.

Mind’s Eye is the world’s first AI art expression tool for people with ALS and other types of MND. It allows them to bring what’s in their mind out into the world.

With an inclusive interface built from the ground up for eye tracking devices, Mind’s Eye enables people with reduced mobility to take full advantage of the text-to-image technological revolution and more completely express themselves through art.

Mind’s Eye is a mobile app available on Smartbox Grid Pad, the most commonly used assistive device for people with MND. Using touchscreen, head tracking, or eye tracking, users at any stage of impairment can use the app to quickly create and share brilliant images with minimal effort and movement. The platform is designed to be approachable for art novices and has advanced settings for more in-depth creation for experienced users.

Together with the MND Association, we conducted working sessions within the community and heard their desire to accurately express their feelings and have an outlet to unleash their imagination.

Mind’s Eye is the result of ongoing commitment and collaboration between its developers, supporters, and primary audience. The idea was presented to partners and discussed at the MND Association’s NextGen Think Tank Summit in October 2022, a collaborative partnership between advocacy and corporate outreach designed to deliver innovative solutions to improve the quality of life of people with MND. This was followed by a working group session with several people with MND and their care partners as well as significant UX research conducted with Grid Pad users and employees. After developing a proof-of-concept app before the year’s end, a more advanced prototype was tested with a focus group, and the app was launched to the community in February 2023.

Through focus and collaboration, we took Mind’s Eye from the concept stage to product launch, all in under 10 months.

May 2022:

Initial idea followed by early proof-of-concept work.

August 2022:

Stability AI releases open-source Stable Diffusion, moving our project onto the fast track.

October 2022:

The idea was initially presented and discussed as part of the MND Association’s NextGen Think Tank Summit, a collaborative partnership between advocacy and corporate outreach designed to deliver innovative solutions to improve the quality of life of people living with MND.

November 2022:

Working group session with several people living with MND and their care partners.

December 2022:

Collaboration with developers at Smartbox, the makers of the Grid Pad series of devices and apps designed for use by those with severe mobility impairments.

February 2023:

Mind’s Eye launched on Grid Pad as a featured app on AAC devices throughout the UK.

Grid Pad is the top AAC device, and it comes with several built-in apps like YouTube, Netflix, and Spotify. Mind's Eye is one of these apps now. Launched as a featured and free app, it can be easily found and accessed by all Grid Pad users, offering 100% community exposure.

Mind’s Eye was built on the open-source Stable Diffusion model made available to developers in September 2022. It runs via an API to DeepMind, with image generation (GPU hours) covered by an unrestricted grant from Amylyx Pharmaceuticals.

With an investment of approximately $100,000, the app is changing how people with MND have conversations and work through their feelings and is giving them the opportunity to create again.

Funds will be raised during 2023 to sponsor launches of Mind’s Eye country by country, so that anyone with MND in the world will be fully able to express themselves.

Mind’s Eye is the world’s first AI art self-expression tool designed for people with motor neurone disease (MND).

MND is a fatal, degenerative neurological condition requiring the care of a medical specialist. Because medicines are limited for MNDs, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a major aspect of treatment is emotional care and ensuring positive mental health among patients as they progress. Mind’s Eye is a patient-engagement tool developed by the professional care team at the MND Association UK, DEEP AI, and Amylyx Pharmaceuticals.

The app was released in the UK, which meant it adhered to the ABPI Code of Practice for the Pharmaceutical Industry. It is a non-promotional app. No treatments were mentioned within the app, and it was not developed to drive patients to their physician to ask for a specific medication.

Mind’s Eye was developed for patients living with ALS, one of the most common MNDs.