  About 90 percent of people with Parkinson's disease (PD) experience decreased
functional communication due to the presence of voice and speech disorders
associated with dysarthria that can be characterized by monotony of pitch (or
fundamental frequency), reduced loudness, irregular rate of speech, imprecise
consonants, and changes in voice quality. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs)
work with patients with PD to improve speech intelligibility using various
intensive in-clinic speech treatments. SLPs also prescribe home exercises to
enhance generalization of speech strategies outside of the treatment room. Even
though speech therapies are found to be highly effective in improving vocal
loudness and speech quality, patients with PD find it difficult to follow the
prescribed exercise regimes outside the clinic and to continue exercises once
the treatment is completed. SLPs need techniques to monitor compliance and
accuracy of their patients exercises at home and in ecologically valid
communication situations. We have designed EchoWear, a smartwatch-based system,
to remotely monitor speech and voice exercises as prescribed by SLPs. We
conducted a study of 6 individuals; three with PD and three healthy controls.
To assess the performance of EchoWear technology compared with high quality
audio equipment obtained in a speech laboratory. Our preliminary analysis shows
promising outcomes for using EchoWear in speech therapies for people with PD.
  Keywords: Dysarthria; knowledge-based speech processing; Parkinson's disease;
smartwatch; speech therapy; wearable system.
