The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 2.3 million to a new research initiative on artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. The [ELSA Lab for Equitable Care](https://healthy-ai.org/) investigates how AI can be developed fairly and inclusively, with a particular focus on underrepresented groups in healthcare.

As ITSLanguage, we are co-funding the consortium from industry. We commit ourselves to this project for 4 years. We mainly work on improvements in and around the KAT and apply the insights gained from research on legal and ethical aspects of AI. This is on the program for the KAT in the coming years:

- Further development to make KAT an even better analysis tool.
- Investigate (and possibly implement) Medical Device Regulations (MDR) certification on KAT where we go beyond analysis and move towards making a diagnosis or creating a treatment plan.
- Linkage or integration with adjacent tooling to add screening, testing or exercise in addition to analysis e.g.
- Integration of speech technology for automatic sound recognition so that the speech therapist, when administering a word list, only has to adjust where AI is wrong.
- Adding at least 4 new languages to the KAT.

Although we have been seeking collaboration with speech therapists and linguists for ages, we will intensify this further. Are you interested in using this tooling in your practice and would you like to contribute ideas on how to make it even better? Get in touch!


The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 2.3 million to a new research initiative on artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. Together with UVA, UU and other partners, this is going to mean not only new insights on how to use AI responsibly in healthcare, but also a boost for KAT over the next 4 years. (September 2025 to September 2029)
The KAT is a tool that gives more insight into a child's sound development.

KAT gets boosted by "AI for Health Equity"


"The Sound Analysis Tool (SAT) enables an analysis that I am not currently performing." This was said by one of the 380 attendees during the presentation of the SAT last month at the annual congress of the [NVLF | Dutch Association for Speech Therapy and Phoniatrics](https://www.linkedin.com/company/nederlandse-vereniging-voor-logopedie-en-foniatrie/). There, [Kees van den Broek](https://www.linkedin.com/in/keesvdb/) together with innovation advisor [Yvonne van Vilsteren](https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonne-van-vilsteren-3491631b8/), from the Royal Auris Group, explained the functioning of the Sound Analysis Tool.

With the SAT, speech therapists and linguists can easily perform a phonological analysis based on a child's utterances (based on naming tasks or spontaneous language). The overview generated by the SAT provides insight into the sound development of a child, thereby providing input for treatment goals (or group goals).

"What a super handy tool," said a small independent speech therapy practice. Gaining insight into a child's sound development takes so much time that it is often not done in a structured and uniform manner.

Together with the Royal Auris Group, we developed the SAT. Since last summer, it has been available as a full-fledged tool for all speech therapists in the Netherlands. Over the coming years, Auris aims to further optimize and expand the SAT together with a user group and ITSLanguage. For example, by integrating with other systems such as BergOp and conducting a vowel sound analysis. For future plans and all functionalities, including e-learning, visit the SAT website: [sat.itslanguage.nl](https://sat.itslanguage.nl).

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The Klank Analyse Tool (KAT) was presented at the NVLF Year Congress 2023, where Kees van den Broek and Yvonne van Vilsteren from the Royal Auris Group explained its functionality. The KAT allows speech therapists and linguists to easily conduct phonological analyses based on a child's expressions, providing insight into their sound development for treatment goals. It has been well-received by the speech therapy community for streamlining the analysis process. Developed in collaboration with the Royal Auris Group, the KAT is now available as a comprehensive tool for all speech therapists in the Netherlands. Future plans include optimization and expansion in collaboration with users and ITSLanguage, integrating with other systems like BergOp, and adding features such as vowel sound analysis and e-learning modules, available on the KAT website.

Presentation of Sound Analysis Tool at NVLF Annual Conference 2023


An experienced linguist at Royal Auris Group, Lisa de Wit administered the NAO to two children for comparison. One without KAT (Sound Analysis Tool) and one with KAT. The choice was made to test the 'normal NAO' and only the initial, medial and final consonants. So not the clusters! In this article, we will discuss the results of this comparison and examine the advantages of using KAT.

**Analysis without KAT:**
Lisa started the first session without KAT. The collection and elaboration took a total of 50 minutes.

**Procedure:**
Her methodology included writing down all the results. She noted that this becomes very confusing when you record this digitally in ONS. Because of this method of analysis, she was looking more in broad outlines rather than having a good understanding of all the details. Thus, she quickly saw that a number of processes were present, but did not get a good overview of which sounds were acquired. To get the overview, Lisa completed another phoneme repertoire. This took her about five minutes. This gave Lisa more insight and allowed her to establish the treatment plan for the child.The goal for the child becomes practising with initial /s/ and /t/ because there is backing present on those sounds.

**With KAT:**
The intake and elaboration took only 15 minutes.

**Method:**
Lisa typed the child's utterances directly into the excel file and uploaded it to the KAT. The analysis was downloaded and easily interpreted. The result was clear and indicated that the child needed practice with final /f/ and initial clusters due to cluster reduction.

**Conclusion:**
The conclusion of Lisa's comparison was clear: the Sound Analysis Tool (KAT) helped significantly in speeding up analysis. KAT's structured representation of processes made it easier for Lisa to create a treatment plan. With significant time savings and a more detailed understanding of sound development, the use of KAT seems to be a valuable addition to the work of the linguist. This raises the question of whether similar tools could be more widely implemented in speech analysis within education and healthcare in the future.


As an experienced linguist at Royal Auris Group, Lisa de Wit administered the NAO to two children for comparison. One without KAT (Sound Analysis Tool) and one with KAT. The choice was made to test the 'normal NAO' and only the initial, medial and final consonants. So not the clusters! In this article, we will discuss the results of this comparison and examine the advantages of using KAT.

NAO decrease comparison, with KAT and without the KAT


### NVLF Inspiratiesessie: The Landscape of Spraaktechnologie

On 28 June, the **NVLF Inspiratiesessie** on Spraaktechnologie brought together experts like Esther Ottow from Auris and Kees van den Broek from ITSLanguage. The main aim of the session was to enlighten members about the latest advancements and potentials of voice technology.

Esther Ottow, the Innovation Director at Koninklijke Auris Groep, highlighted their collaboration with ITSLanguage. Auris, an institution dedicated to providing education, guidance, and care to those with hearing, speech, and language challenges, has been working closely with ITSLanguage on several pioneering projects. Their joint efforts focus on the integration of voice technology to assist individuals, especially in the realm of logopedie.

The [Inspiratiesessie](https://www.nvlf.nl/nieuws/nvlf-inspiratiesessie-spraaktechnologie/) delved into the workings of spraaktechnologie, outlining its transformative capabilities. Participants learned about how voice technology could be seamlessly integrated into the daily routines of speech therapists. Furthermore, they were introduced to its myriad applications in logopedie, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize the field.

The session also served as a call to action. Attendees were encouraged to actively contribute to the development of voice technology applications. Such contributions ensure that these technological advancements are specifically tailored to meet the unique challenges faced in logopedie.

In conclusion, the NVLF Inspiratiesessie on Spraaktechnologie underscored the importance of bridging the gap between technology and speech therapy. Collaborative endeavors, such as the partnership between Auris and ITSLanguage, will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future trajectory of this sector.

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_Originally published on July 14, 2021._


The Nederlandse Vereniging voor Logopedie en Foniatrie (NVLF) recently hosted an Inspiratiesessie on spraaktechnologie. Key figures from Auris and ITSLanguage discussed the opportunities and developments in the realm of voice technology.

NVLF Inspiration session: Unveiling the future of Speech Technology


# The Smart Three Minute Test (DMT)

## What is the Three Minute Test?

The Three Minute Test (DMT) evaluates a child's reading speed and accuracy by counting how many individual words they can read in three minutes. The student is provided with a card containing 4 or 5 rows of 30 distinct words. The objective for the child is to orally read as many words as feasible within 1 minute. The teacher, during this time, marks any words that are mispronounced. After the minute elapses, the student is given another card with more challenging words. At the end of the three minutes, the total number of correctly read words is calculated, subtracting any mispronounced ones. The DMT is a staple in 70% of primary schools in the Netherlands, with each child being tested individually by the teacher, assistant teacher, or internal supervisor. Internationally, similar tests, comparable to the DMT such as the AVI keys (reading texts instead of individual words), are conducted in a like manner.

## Bottlenecks in the Current Three-Minute Test

- **Labour Intensive:** Administering the DMT requires significant effort.
- **One-on-One Requirement:** A teacher or facilitator is needed for each student to time the test using a stopwatch while simultaneously noting down any pronunciation errors.
- **Organizational Challenges:** Due to its nature, a quiet environment is often sought for the DMT. Conducting the test for all groups multiple times a year demands significant logistical planning.
- **Subjectivity:** Although guided by nationally established assessment criteria, it's up to the teacher's discretion to determine if a word has been pronounced correctly.
- **Processing Difficulties:** The recorded readings need to be manually uploaded for each student to a centralized server, making retrieval challenging. Furthermore, scores must be processed manually.

## Objective of the Smart Three Minute Test

The aim is to create an intelligent DMT with digital sampling and automated evaluation via advanced speech technology, which will be tested in a pilot phase. Anticipated benefits include:

- **Efficiency:** A group of students can conduct the smart DMT simultaneously and independently. The automated system checks their performance in real-time, drastically reducing costs.
- **Data Management:** Results are systematically stored, offering statistics on progress and performance. This data can be integrated seamlessly with student tracking systems.
- **Time Saving:** The invaluable time of limited teaching staff is preserved. The consistent evaluation system also allows for the playback of recorded words for manual assessment by a teacher at a later time.
- **Flexibility:** The system provides opportunities for practice outside of traditional settings, like at home. Additionally, through the app, there are options for visual font adjustments and other enhancements.

## Achieved Results of the Smart Three-Minute-Test

Our primary achievements stem from R&D efforts, where we've mastered the detection of words in succession at a rapid pace (real-time). This technology has been implemented in a final product designed for educators, as demonstrated in the subsequent screens:

**Interested in Implementing?**
Educational institutions and publishers searching for a smarter testing method can reach out to us in the bottom of the website.

**Acknowledgements:** The development of the smart Three-Minute Test was possible due to contributions and collaborations with various partners. Special thanks to the Stimuleringsfonds Metropoolregio Eindhoven for partially funding this project.


What is the Three Minute Test The Three Minute Test (DMT) measures how accurately and quickly a child can read by determining how many individual words the child can read in three minutes. The student receives a card with 4 or 5 rows of 30 separate words. The child must try to..

The Smart Three Minute Test (DMT)


---

# Amount of Licenses Doubled Since First COVID-19 Wave

Post the initial wave of COVID-19 in the Netherlands, we took a moment to reflect on the unfolding events during this period. A surge in remote learning was distinctly evident at ITSLanguage.

We witnessed a remarkable growth in the adoption of ITSLanguage licenses, which nearly doubled in the first half of 2020, reaching a total of 165,000 users. The upward trend is anticipated to persist throughout the year. This can be attributed not only to the heightened utilization but also to our forthcoming speech analysis engine. This new technology, which has been under development for the past 1.5 years, is on the cusp of completion.


Now the first COVID-19 wave in the Netherlands has passed, we've looked back at what happened during this period. An increased use of remote learning was also noticeable at ITSLanguage. The amount of ITSLanguage licenses almost doubled within H1 2020 to 165,000 users. Further growth is expected for the remaining in the..

Amount of Licenses Doubled Since First COVID-19 Wave


# Automatic Articulation Analysis Tool

With the **Automatic Articulation Analysis** tool, it's now possible to automatically analyze the outcomes of naming tasks or spontaneous speech. Users can upload target words along with their pronounced realization through an Excel sheet. This sheet is then expanded to provide overviews of the recognized sounds and clusters, the PCC, the phonological processes used, and the words sorted per sound and cluster.

ITSLanguage has encapsulated the knowledge and algorithms of Royal Auris into a user-friendly web application. As of now, the application is exclusively available for Auris employees at [aurisaaa.nl](https://aurisaaa.nl).

Also, don't forget to check out the [webinar](https://aurisaaa.nl/).


With the Automatic Articulation Analysis tool it is possible to automatically analyze the outcomes of naming tasks or spontaneous speech. Target words with the pronounced realization are uploaded per excel sheet. The excel sheet is expanded with overviews of the known sounds and clusters, the PCC, the phonological processes used and the words ordered per..

Automatic Articulation Analysis Tool


# Pilot Transcription of Spontaneous Speech: A Leap Forward in Speech Therapy

In our relentless pursuit of innovation, we are thrilled to announce the commencement of a pilot application specifically designed for speech therapy in the Netherlands.

Transcribing spontaneous speech, especially in therapeutic contexts, has long been a labor-intensive task. A conversation spanning just 10 to 20 minutes can demand up to an hour of transcription time. We believe there's a more efficient way to approach this challenge.

By expediting the transcription process, therapists can conduct analyses more frequently, potentially leading to more effective treatments. Envision a scenario where, before initiating a treatment session, therapists can effortlessly access a dashboard. This dashboard provides an overview of progress since the last session, amalgamated with insights from at-home practice.

We're currently exploring practical implementation in collaboration with [Auris](https://auris.nl/).

We're eager to collaborate with speech therapists interested in test-driving our innovative tool. Your feedback will be invaluable in refining and enhancing the application. If you're intrigued by the potential of our pilot project, we invite you to get in touch with us.


ITSLanguage launches a pilot application to streamline the transcription process in speech therapy, aiming to boost efficiency and effectiveness in treatment sessions.

Revolutionizing Speech Therapy with Transcription Automation


# Developmental Language Disorder Pilot: A Collaboration between ITSLanguage and Auris

In a significant move last month, [Koninklijke Auris Groep](https://auris.nl/) and ITSLanguage cemented their partnership through a foundational cooperation agreement. The collaboration is grounded in a shared vision: to harness the power of speech technology in addressing developmental language disorders.

Our approach is nuanced and tailored. By leveraging language models specifically adapted to the linguistic patterns of children, we're optimistic about the transformative potential of our solutions. As we delve deep into research, development, and implementation, we're setting our sights on unveiling preliminary results by the conclusion of 2020.


ITSLanguage and Koninklijke Auris Groep embark on a collaborative journey to deploy speech technology solutions for developmental language disorder.

Pioneering Developmental Language Disorder Solutions with Auris


# A Stronger ITSLanguage: Integration, Expansion, and Innovation

Over the years, **ITSLanguage B.V.** has been at the forefront of language technology development, consistently refining its offerings. A significant chapter in this journey was the research collaboration with the University of Sheffield, which yielded commendable results. Parallelly, d-centralize B.V. emerged as a pivotal software development ally, seamlessly integrating research into top-tier SAAS services.

Recognizing the escalating need for software development expertise in the foreseeable future, a strategic decision was made. By the culmination of 2018, ITSLanguage B.V. integrated into d-centralize B.V. This move was instrumental in ensuring robust and consistent access to the indispensable software development acumen.

Post-integration, the development team witnessed an expansion, warmly welcoming Giovanni, Swati, Nader, and Redmar aboard. With a rejuvenated squad, our commitment to speech technology for language education remains unwavering. Simultaneously, we're charting new territories, notably speech technology for healthcare, specifically speech therapy. Our foray into this domain has already borne fruit, with Auris being our inaugural client.

Our journey has been marked by the creation of stellar technology. The road ahead is clear: over the forthcoming months, our focus will be to roll out these innovations as demo-ready products, ensuring that each one echoes our legacy of excellence.


ITSLanguage B.V. integrates with d-centralize B.V., bolstering its software development expertise and setting its sights on expanding its technological offerings.

A New Dawn: ITSLanguage's Evolution and Expansion


# EFRO Subsidy Project: Advancing Speech Technology in Healthcare

With a robust foundation in speech technology tailored for language learning, ITSlanguage has embarked on a novel journey to expand its horizons. While the core application of our technology has predominantly catered to the learning, teaching, and assessment of speaking and oral reading skills, there exists a broader spectrum of potential beneficiaries. Notably, around 5% of children face challenges with language development disorders, encompassing issues related to speaking or understanding language. Our technology holds promise for this demographic.

The core objective of this project revolves around Research and Development in the domain of speech technology, specifically tailored for healthcare applications like speech therapy. The roadmap for achieving this includes the construction of Deep Neural Network models, harnessing the power of machine learning.

The project is delineated into several work packages:

- **Specification**: This involves laying out use cases and detailing the requirements.
- **Data Gathering**: Data pertinent to the domain is collated from educational institutions and speech therapy centers.
- **Dataset Creation**: This entails crafting a dataset pivotal for training models and subsequently evaluating their performance.
- **R&D**: A rigorous phase of Research and Development, focusing on models rooted in Deep Learning Neural Networks.

For those seeking an in-depth understanding, detailed information is available upon request.

We're proud to announce that this endeavor has garnered support and is partly sponsored by the European Union.


ITSlanguage delves into the realm of healthcare, aiming to adapt its speech technology expertise for therapeutic applications, especially in speech therapy.

EFRO Subsidy Project: Pioneering Speech Technology for Healthcare


# Minister of Education Engages with ITSLanguage at Frankfurter Buchmesse

On a recent visit to the **Frankfurter Buchmesse**, the Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Jet Bussemaker, engaged with several companies at the forefront of educational technology, one of which was ITSLanguage.

The discussions were enlightening, touching upon various facets of speech technology services. The Minister delved into understanding the nuances of this technology, its potential benefits for teaching practices, and the overarching impact it might usher into the educational realm.

Michiel Sanders, the CEO of ITSLanguage, expressed his gratitude and admiration for the Minister's involvement, stating, “We are privileged to have such a passionate and involved minister. She recognizes the importance of innovation by small companies in the educational sector and took time to talk with us personally.”

For those interested, below is an impression from the fair.


The Dutch Minister of Education, Jet Bussemaker, took a tour at the Frankfurter Buchmesse, visiting several educational technology companies, including ITSLanguage.

Minister of Education Visits ITSLanguage at Frankfurter Buchmesse

Our Speech Therapy service utilizes state-of-the-art technology to provide effective speech therapy solutions. It is suitable for individuals of all age groups and helps overcome various speech-related challenges.

What is our Speech Therapy Service?

Our educational products provide comprehensive learning modules for speech improvement. They are designed to facilitate self-learning and come with extensive resources and user-friendly interface.

What do our Education Products offer?

With our API Subscription, you can access and integrate our advanced speech recognition technology into your applications. This can help you deliver personalized speech therapy and learning experiences.

What can you do with our API Subscription?

Our speech technology is powered by advanced AI algorithms that ensure accurate speech recognition. We continuously update our technology based on user feedback and advances in the field.

What makes our Speech Technology stand out?

Our services can help improve speech clarity, boost confidence, and enhance communication skills. They can be especially beneficial for speech therapists, educators, and application developers looking to incorporate speech recognition technology.

How can our services benefit you?

The transcription tool makes it easy to transcribe speech from your audio recordings. Speech recognition provides you a first transcription proposal after which you can tweak the final transcription. Several export formats are available for further processing.

ITSTranscription

Real-Time Transcription Tool

With the KAT it is possible to automatically analyze the results of naming tasks or spontaneous language. To do this, you must upload target words with the pronounced realization (use the input sheet for this). You will then receive an excel sheet with overviews of the known sounds and clusters, the PCC, the phonological processes used and the words ordered per sound and per cluster. It is also possible to upload multiple input sheets, after which you can see the course of development or view the results of several children side by side

Sound Analysis Tool

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Feature 3

The Loudly platform contains modules especially for speech therapists. It allows individual tests and provides individual and group results. pre and post tests are supported as well. Connections to external systems are supported like ParnasSys. Parents can also be invited to take tests with their child. For authors it contains ways to create and reuse materials including audio, video, photos, and images. Optionally speech recognition can be added too.

Loudly for speech therapy

Loudly for education

Smarter testing and assessments

Discover the world's first real-time Dutch speech analysis for children, revolutionizing language learning. Our innovative system intelligently detects pronunciation deviations and provides feedback tailored to the child's grade. Teachers can monitor all errors, big and small, via a user-friendly dashboard. Effortlessly practice on a tablet or laptop, making learning accessible and engaging.

TUTO

Real-time speech analysis

A solution for organisations that want to teach their non-native speaking co-workers the essentials of expressing themselves and having a conversion based around work related topics. Many languages are supported and the topics can be customized per organisation.

Professional language education

Tailored interactive chat and speech dialogs

Royal Auris and Loudly have collaboratively developed a sound trainer that encourages children with speech problems to improve their sound development. This attractive, game-like learning environment uses speech technology to give feedback and adapt exercises to progress. Exercises, with selectable target sounds and words, can be practiced on a tablet or laptop, or remotely via Zoom. The tool was developed with speech-language experts and can be integrated into your organization upon contact.

Sound trainer

Automatic recognition of target sounds

The home page

Record yourself or upload an audio file to transcribe your speech as text including feedback.

Speech recognition Demo

Support

Read a short text or word and you'll get instant feedback of your pronunciation.

Practice Pronunciation

Our Speech-to-Text API provides accurate transcriptions of audio in multiple languages, making communication and data analysis seamless.

At ITSLanguage, we have collaborative alliances working towards driving innovation in the sphere of speech technology. Together, we're reshaping the healthcare and education sectors within the Netherlands. Our shared expertise in developing cutting-edge speech transcription and analysis software plays a critical role in enhancing various educational and therapeutic domains. This partnership echoes our mutual dedication to research and societal betterment. We pride ourselves on our agile approach, enabling swift enhancements and delivering innovative solutions. In 2020 alone, our combined efforts led to four breakthroughs, testament to our collective resolve to create a better future through technology.

Revolutionary Speech Technology

People using our technologies yearly

You can answer with:

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You can answer anything.

ITSLanguage offers streaming speech recording, ensuring high-quality audio is saved to the Cloud. Users can access and share audio files from any internet-enabled device through a unique link

Together with our partners, we have knowledge and experience concerning speech and language technology for decades. All we have learned in the educational market is, with minor adjustments, applicable to other markets. We love to explore with new business partners who are leading in their market. We also help along promising startups with new concepts that have an impact on our society.

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Discover how our state-of-the-art speech analysis can enhance language learning for children. Request a demo today to see the difference ITSLanguage can make.

Experience the Power of Speech Technology

Loudly, developed with Royal Auris, is a software that helps children with speech problems develop their sound. It provides an electronic learning environment that feels like play and allows for easy exercises creation and remote use. ITSLanguage plans to work with speech therapists and linguists in 2021 to develop automatic sound recognition, enabling practice at home while being monitored by a speech therapist. Contact them to use this tool.

serves as the foundation for a wide array of services, including innovative education and healthcare applications. Our cutting-edge solutions are designed to empower users and transform the way we learn, communicate, and improve our lives.

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Speech recognition

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Speech Recognition

Together with ITSLanguage we've worked on several innovations in speech therapy over the years. By iterating together as speech therapists, researchers and software developers, we come closer to making a larger social impact.

Esther Ottow

Innovation director, Koninklijke Auris groep

With ITSLanguage we're working on the next generation educational software that included speech technology to not only assist the children, but providing more insight to the teacher foremost. This allows spending time much more efficient and helping children improve their speech based on facts.