Wearable Non-Invasive Neuromodulation Device for the Symptomatic Treatment of the Voice Disorder Spasmodic Dysphonia

Abstract

Spasmodic dysphonia (SD) is a voice disorder that leads to strained or choked speech. SD is unresponsive to speech therapy. There is no cure for SD. Preliminary work from our group showed that voice quality in SD improves when vibro-tactile stimulation (VTS) is applied over the larynx as a non-invasive form of neuromodulation. The goal of this paper is to describe the design and development of a non-invasive wearable device, which applies VTS to laryngeal muscles with the aim to improve voice quality of individuals with SD. This paper provides preliminary data about the effectiveness of this wearable device for treating the voice symptoms associated with SD.