A true fluency device to alleviate stuttering

September 28, 2003 8:54 PM

SpeechEasy - a true fluency device to alleviate stuttering.
Janus Development Group, Inc. fluency products are therapeutic devices designed to dramatically reduce stuttering. They employ altered auditory feedback in the form of auditory delays and frequency shifts to provide maximum benefit to individuals who stutter.
posted by starscream (8 comments total)

I saw this on Montel the other day, and the live demonstartions were amazing!

Apologies if this is a double post; I couldn't find it in a search.
posted by starscream at 8:55 PM on September 28, 2003

Ehm, demonstrations...
posted by starscream at 8:57 PM on September 28, 2003

WOW!
posted by quonsar at 9:54 PM on September 28, 2003

Using delayed and altered auditory feedback in therapy is not new, but the discrete and protable micro-technology certainly is.

This concerns me: > There is not a single peer-reviewed, published clinical research study demonstrating that this device produces sustained and satisfactory improvements in fluency—and for what percentage and age range of people who stutter—let alone that it produces benefits that are retained following extended use.
However, I did not see a date on this asha article.

This person was considering returning his device for a refund.
posted by philfromhavelock at 11:02 PM on September 28, 2003

Here are some other examples of electronic equipment available to help alleviate stammering using delayed auditory feedback.
posted by philfromhavelock at 11:15 PM on September 28, 2003

Apologies.
Re: There is not a single peer-reviewed, above, was from a letter printed 15 April 2003.
posted by philfromhavelock at 11:27 PM on September 28, 2003

This rings true with me. A dozen years ago, as a rookie newspaper reporter, I found that I was developing a very noticeable stutter, even though I was more outgoing than ever and interviewing people every day. It didn't make sense to me. A buyout and a layoff later, I took a job teaching English in Japan, and was advised in teacher training to listen to myself speak, to take a step back in my mind and observe myself in conversation, and by this method I became able measure my words and speak more clearly. The stuttering receded. This device seems to facilitate that, but I can see why the guy would be frustrated listening to traffic noise and such. It would be annoying in such situations.
posted by planetkyoto at 12:03 AM on September 29, 2003

More anecdotal experience: I have a somewhat pronounced stutter (though not as bad as some of these folks). Sometimes, bad reception on my cell phone causes feedback - I can hear an echo of my voice. And indeed, I end up not stuttering. However, I quickly lose my train of thought because I start concentrating on trying to speak in synch with my delayed echo (which I suppose is the theory behind this whole thing), rather than what I want to say -- not the sort of trade off I'm interested in.
posted by Sangre Azul at 8:04 AM on September 29, 2003