Hackensack Meridian Health has partnered with Canary Health, an AI-driven speech analysis start-up, to develop vocal biomarker technology for screening anxiety and cognitive diseases. Canary Speech’s proprietary machine learning models assess digital biomarkers in the human voice to predict health-related outcomes. The technology aims to provide real-time, non-invasive screening for emotional wellness and mental health deterioration. Hackensack Meridian Health sees this collaboration as a strategic investment in the future, leveraging AI technology to enhance wellness.
Hackensack Meridian Health, a non-profit healthcare network, has formed a partnership with a speech analysis start-up driven by artificial intelligence (AI). Through its Bear’s Den innovation accelerator program, the healthcare network is investing in the advancement of vocal biomarker technology, specifically for screening anxiety and cognitive diseases.
Canary Health, the AI-driven speech analysis company, utilizes its proprietary machine learning models to assess digital biomarkers present in human speech. By doing so, it can explain or predict health-related outcomes. This collaboration allows Hackensack Meridian Health to expedite the development of its AI technology for promoting wellness.
The vocal biomarker technology developed by Canary Speech is designed to monitor various health factors in a quick, non-invasive, and accurate manner. The technology, which was created by a team of neurology and speech AI experts from Amazon Alexa, aims to provide proactive real-time screening by leveraging algorithms that augment standardized clinical assessments for anxiety (GAD7) and depression (PHQ8).
Canary Speech employs machine learning techniques to model both acoustic and linguistic characteristics of the human voice, to offer clinical-grade screening. Its primary goal is to detect changing emotional wellness states and identify mental health deterioration in real-time.
Hackensack Meridian Health states that the vocal scores generated by the tool can replace subjective measurements, providing objective and actionable care plans.
Furthermore, Canary Speech is conducting research on voice assessments for conditions such as Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other related disorders.
Dr. Ihor Sawczuk, President of Academics, Research, and Innovation at Hackensack Meridian Health, as well as the Founding Chair of the Hackensack Meridian Health Research Institute, emphasizes that this investment is a strategic move that looks toward the future.
The utilization of voice biomarkers to gain insights into both emotional and physiological states is a growing trend in healthcare. By leveraging machine learning and deep learning techniques, organizations can identify signs of clinical depression and anxiety, thereby enhancing access to mental health services.
Kintsugi, a company mentioned in the article, has demonstrated how voice biomarker technology can be deployed in health systems and payer organizations. This technology focuses not only on what is being said but also on how it is being said. It can be integrated into telehealth systems, offering real-time results, privacy protection, and language-agnostic capabilities. During virtual care sessions, the software tool records the patient’s speech and identifies potential risks of severe depression or anxiety, alerting the clinician to offer appropriate mental health services based on the severity of the condition.
Robert C. Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health, expresses enthusiasm for this innovative collaboration and highlights the network’s commitment to supporting technological advancements that promote wellness. He recognizes the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on various aspects of modern life and aims to accelerate the progress of companies like Canary Speech.
