Get All Access for $5/mo

This Innovative Tech Gives Voice to the Voiceless Smartstones' game-changing technology allows people who can't speak to communicate in new ways.

By Lydia Belanger

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

EMI

Andreas Forsland didn't set out to create a new way to communicate. A designer by training, he previously worked as a product and brand strategist for companies such as Philips and Citrix. But four years ago, his mother was hospitalized with pneumonia and connected to a ventilator for weeks. Unable to speak, she had no way to communicate with her son. Forsland wished there were a way she could exchange affirmations of love and support. The experience inspired him to design a device to make nonverbal communication seamless.

The result was the Smartstones Touch, an electronic device in a stone-shaped casing that perceives certain touch gestures programmed with the company's proprietary app, :prose. With certain movements, the "stone" lights up with with LEDs, vibrates or even projects sound from an internal speaker. Swiping, moving or simply grasping the stone sends a signal to others with the technology.

Related: 5 Amazing Inventions That Are Helping the Visually Impaired

Smartstones' :prose app integrates with other wearables, such as the Apple Watch, converting simple taps to speech. It even translates electrical currents from the brain into recurring words and phrases with the Emotiv, an EEG headset, a capability that Smartstones launched in beta in April. Users -- those who suffer from ALS, paralysis, cerebral palsy, spinal cord and brain injuries -- can finally "think to speak."

"We want to democratize voice," says Forsland, CEO of his Santa Barbara, Calif.-based company. The :prose app, available for iOS users, costs $59, while a Smartstones Touch plus :prose costs $159.

:prose has been available for iOS users for the past year, and Smartstones Touch devices will ship this summer. The company has discovered its app users have developed a language of their own. For instance, swiping upward on the phone screen commonly indicates "yes" among users, while swiping down signifies "no." "Left" and "right" have become standards for "good" and "bad," respectively.

"You can establish whatever vocabulary you want to use for every swipe, so it's completely personalized," Forsland says. "So I have my list of phrases, and my friend has the same number of gestures, but he can configure them to say whatever he wants. So he's got his vocabulary, I've got my vocabulary ... You add a third person, you triple your vocabulary."

Related: Meet the Designers Hoping to Treat ADHD and Alzheimer's with Gaming

Whether users communicate via an EEG headset, a Smartstones Touch or the :prose app alone, Forsland explains that his company's technology is a way of "unlocking their minds so they can speak."

This past April, Smartstones won a Gold Award at the Edison Awards, a competition that recognizes innovative products and services, for its :prose app. Watch the video above to see and hear :prose in action.
Lydia Belanger is a former associate editor at Entrepreneur. Follow her on Twitter: @LydiaBelanger.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Leadership

Visionaries or Vague Promises? Why Companies Fail Without Leaders Who See Beyond the Bottom Line

Visionary leaders turn bold ideas into lasting impact by building resilience, clarity and future-ready teams.

Marketing

5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid When Giving a Presentation

Are you tired of enduring dull presentations? Over the years, I have compiled a list of common presentation mistakes and how to avoid them. Here are my top five tips.

Science & Technology

5 Automation Strategies Every Small Business Should Follow

It's time we make IT automation work for us: streamline processes, boost efficiency and drive growth with the right tools and strategy.

Business News

Former Steve Jobs Intern Says This Is How He Would Have Approached AI

The former intern is now the CEO of AI and data company DataStax.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Green Entrepreneur®

How Global Business Leaders Can Build a Sustainable Supply Chain

Businesses can build sustainable supply chains by leveraging technology to reduce environmental impact, optimize resources and track emissions while balancing operational efficiency and sustainability goals.