How digital twins are revolutionizing communication for those with motor neurone disease
Published: December 10, 2025
A groundbreaking initiative by a UK-based charity, supported by technology companies and universities, has developed an AI-powered digital twin technology that empowers individuals with communication disabilities to express themselves naturally. This innovation, known as VoxAI, represents a significant advancement beyond the computer-assisted voice used by renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, who lived with motor neurone disease (MND).
The Scott-Morgan Foundation, founded by robotics expert Peter Scott-Morgan, was established to apply engineering principles to disability after his MND diagnosis. A five-year project led by the foundation has developed an AI-powered platform that enables individuals with MND, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), to communicate effectively despite their disabilities.
The platform, created by chief technologist Bernard Muller, who is himself paralyzed with MND, utilizes eye-tracking technology to enable coding. It combines AI technologies to generate photo-realistic avatars with natural facial expressions and the ability to replicate the user's voice. These avatars can engage in conversations, offering disabled individuals a choice of responses based on their understanding of the user's preferences.
One of the technology's testers, Leah Stavenhagen, a former McKinsey consultant, had her AI trained on her book and 30 interviews in English and French. LaVonne Roberts, CEO of the Scott-Morgan Foundation, emphasizes the impact of communication delays, which can be exhausting for speakers and listeners alike. She highlights the potential for eye fatigue, which can accelerate MND progression, and the tendency for individuals to provide shorter answers due to time constraints, leading to awkward pauses.
The foundation plans to make the software freely available, ensuring accessibility for as many people as possible, while also offering a subscription version for advanced features. Many devices, including off-the-shelf computers and tablets, now come equipped with functional eye-tracking, and tracking devices provided by the NHS may also be compatible. The goal is to democratize the technology by making it web-based and providing license keys, allowing individuals to regain their voice.
This innovative technology has the potential to benefit over 100 million people worldwide who face severe speech limitations, including those recovering from strokes, living with cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injuries, or non-verbal autism. The foundation is set to initiate a two-year trial involving 20 participants, led by Tecnológico de Monterrey, to evaluate the technology's impact.
Additionally, they are developing a simplified platform for individuals without Wi-Fi access. Gil Perry, CEO of D-ID, a company that creates digital avatars for businesses, joined the project after witnessing its life-changing impact on individuals with MND/ALS. Perry's company has enhanced its technology to create avatars with facial expressions, even for those at an advanced stage of immobility.
A pivotal moment occurred when a mother shared with the foundation that the technology was impressive but lacked her daughter's smile. This prompted efforts to make the avatars more lifelike, as exemplified by Erin's mother's emotional reaction upon seeing her daughter's smile on a video. Bernard Muller, the platform's architect, emphasizes the transformative power of the technology, stating that his avatar not only makes him visible but also 'present,' allowing him to connect with the world beyond his disability.
