Collecting speech samples from individuals with speech difficulties

People With Speech Disabilities Contributing Speech Samples for Improved Accessibility of Speech-Enabled Devices

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · NCT05889260

This study is collecting speech recordings from people with speech difficulties, especially those with Parkinson's, to help improve technology that understands spoken words.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment2000 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (other)
Locations2 sites (Denver, Colorado and 1 other locations)
Trial IDNCT05889260 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

The Speech Accessibility Project aims to gather and curate a large database of speech samples from individuals with atypical speech due to conditions like Parkinson's Disease and other neurological disorders. Over two years, the project will collect 1,200,000 samples from 2,000 participants, with an initial focus on Parkinson's patients. Participants will provide recordings at their convenience, and the data will be shared with researchers to enhance automatic speech recognition technologies. The project involves collaboration with various organizations to ensure a diverse and comprehensive dataset.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include adults aged 18 and older with a self-reported diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, ALS, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, or Stroke who can read and speak English.

Not a fit: Patients residing in Washington, Texas, or Illinois may not benefit due to state privacy laws preventing the collection of voice data.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this project could significantly improve speech recognition technologies for individuals with speech impairments.

How similar studies have performed: While the approach of collecting speech samples is established, the scale and collaborative nature of this project may offer novel insights and advancements in the field.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Adult (age \>= 18 years)
* Self-reported diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, ALS, CP, DS, or Stroke
* Reads and speaks English in the form of complete sentences
* Has a valid email address
* Ability to access web browser to participate in study

Exclusion Criteria:

* Is a resident of the State of Washington, Texas, or Illinois (because these states have privacy laws that would not allow us to collect 'voice prints')
* If quality control screening of initial speech samples "fails" because of poor data quality (e.g., poor quality recording environment, or person's speech is "too typical" and not sufficiently interesting to continue collecting)

Where this trial is running

Denver, Colorado and 1 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Parkinson Disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Multiple System Atrophy, Dementia With Lewy Bodies

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.