SITUATION

ALS is a disease that leaves people completely immobile and silent. Is the most expensive neurodegenerative disease. Currently, there are specialised technologies that assist with communication, but their cost +€6,000 makes them beyond reach for 90% of Spanish patients where the average income is €23,000.

BRIEF

To create a cheap communication technology for ALS patients, and help them to interact with the physical world using their gaze. The same thing expensive technologies do, but for the first time… for everyone.

OBJECTIVE

To connect ALS patients to a whole system of devices in order to help them interact with their environment again. To democratise communication, using a technology affordable for every patient, no matter their social status. To create PR about Samsung TCP (Technology with purpose) and technology that help people in need.

Tallk app is under Samsung TCP project, where Samsung uses technology to solve social problems.

TALLK app is a free software that takes advantage of the technology of almost every Samsung tablets cameras to locate the pupils and characteristics points of the face, translating its movements within a predictive virtual keyboard and verbalising the text entered by the user. In this way, patients can interact with Samsung's voice assistant, Bixby, to solve requests and control home devices by using Samsung’s Smart Things technology. Which allows them not only to communicate, but also to interact again with the world around them. And everything, for less than €200.

We have created a free application that transforms an existing technology into a new, affordable and revolutionary service supporting all ALS patients and carers.

90% of ALS patients can’t afford the technology needed to talk again and/or regain mobility.

Today most families in Spain (90% of families) have in their homes the hardware necessary to create a cheap and effective communication technology. The cameras in Samsung tablets have eye recognition and tracking technology. A technology used mainly to unlock devices but, with the necessary software, can achieve so much more.

For this reason, together with a Spanish startup specialising in eye tracking solutions, we have created the free app TALLK. An app that, just by using a tablet, lets ALS patients to talk and interact again to the world.

Through the creation of a new app, we give a different and powerful use to cheap technological devices. We use and take advantage of an existing technology to offer a new and revolutionary service to our consumers and the society.

The app was launched on September 2020, the objective is for it to be a long-term solution. It is part of Samsung TCP project. An annual project in which Samsung uses technology to solve social problems. The app is still evolving, we’ll keep on adding new features and functionalities to improve the lives of ALS patients and their families.

It has a national scale (Spain), but can be use in other Latin countries (for the moment, the app is only available in Spanish).

In 3 months, the 50% of Spanish patients have use the app.

3 million views (Campaign spot)

Reach of 62 million.

More than €1M PR value

Trending Topic on Twitter.

96% positive comments on SSMM