SITUATION

ALS is a disease that leaves people completely immobile and silent. It is the most expensive neurodegenerative disease. Currently, there are specialised technologies that assist with communication, but their cost of around €6,000 makes them beyond reach for 90% of Spanish patients where the average income is just €23,000.

BRIEF

To create a cheap and effective communication technology for all ALS patients, and help them to interact with the physical world just by using their gaze. The same thing expensive technologies do, but for first time… available for everyone.

OBJETIVES

To democratise communication, using a technology affordable for every patient, no matter their gender, age or social status. To create PR about Samsung TCP Project (Technology with purpose) and how technology can help those who really need it.

Tallk app is part of Samsung’s TCP project. An annual project in which Samsung uses technology to solve different social problems.

TALLK app is a software that takes advantage of the technology found in almost every Samsung tablet camera. It locates the pupils and characteristics points of the face, translating its movements within a predictive virtual keyboard and verbalising the text entered by the user. In this way, patients can interact with Samsung's voice assistant, Bixby, to solve requests and also to control home devices using Samsung’s Smart Things technology. This allows them not only to communicate, but also to interact again with the world around them. And everything, for less than €200.

We have created a free application that transforms an existing technology into a new, affordable and revolutionary service supporting all ALS patients and carers.

Today most families in Spain have in their homes the hardware necessary to create a cheap and effective communication technology. The cameras in Samsung tablets have eye recognition and tracking technology, this technology is used mainly to unlock devices but, with the necessary software, can achieve so much more.

For this reason, together with a Spanish startup specialising in eye tracking solutions, we have created the free app TALLK. An app that, just by using a tablet, lets ALS patients talk and interact again to the world.

Through the creation of a new app, we give a different and powerful use to cheap technological devices. We take advantage of an existing technology to offer a new and revolutionary service to our consumers and to society.

The app was launched on September 2020, the objective is for it to be a long-term solution. It is part of Samsung TCP project. An annual project in which Samsung uses technology to solve social problems. The app is still evolving, we’ll keep on adding new features and functionalities to improve the lives of ALS patients and their families.

It has a national scale (Spain), but can be used in other Latin countries (for the moment, the app is only available in Spanish).

In 3 months, the 50% of Spanish patients have use the app.

3 million views (Campaign spot)

Reach of 62 million.

More than €1M PR value

Trending Topic on Twitter.

96% positive comments on SSMM

In Spain there are only restrictions for the advertising of medicines and medical devices, which is not our case.

This is the main law that regulates the communication of medicines and medical devices in Spain:

- Royal Decree 1416/1994 of 16 October on advertising of medicines for human use (“RD 1416/1994”).

In case of Medicines, advertising to the general public is prohibited in the following cases:

Unauthorised medicines.

Prescription-only medicines.

Medicines under research.

Medicines reimbursed by the Spanish National Health System.

Medicines containing narcotics or psychotropic substances.

In case of Medical devices, advertising to the general public is prohibited in the following events:

Medical devices reimbursed by the Spanish National Health System.

Medical devices applied by Healthcare Professionals.

Advertising of medicines and medical devices on the internet/social media has not been addressed by the Spanish laws and regulations governing medicines and medical devices yet. Therefore, and in general terms, it is commonly accepted that advertising through “digital media” is subject to all the controls and requirements provided for in the Spanish laws and regulations applicable to (traditional) advertising of medicines and medical devices.

90% of ALS patients can’t afford the technology needed to talk again and/or regain mobility.

Today most families in Spain (90% of families) have in their homes the hardware necessary to create a cheap and effective communication technology. Samsung’s tablets cameras have eye recognition and tracking technology. A technology used mainly to unlock devices but, with the necessary software, can achieve so much more.

For this reason, together with a Spanish startup specializing in eye tracking solutions, we have created the free app TALLK. An app that, just by using a tablet, lets them to talk and interact again to the world.

Through the creation of a new app, we give a different and powerful use to cheap technological devices. We use and take advantage of an existing technology to offer a new and revolutionary service to our consumers and the society.