TEC - News

Idea to Product Global Competition Winner	November 26, 2007

Idea to Product Global Competition Winner By Eva Panagiotopoulos The Murchison Chair of Free Enterprise hosted the Idea to Product (I2P) Global Competition on November 3, at The University of Texas at Austin. I2P Global invited universities from Asia, Europe, and North America to compete for $25,000 in prizes and a chance to enter the Global Moot Corp competition. In addition, participants benefitted from valuable feedback given to them by the entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, engineers, and intellectual property attorneys that served on the judging panels. The first place winner of the I2P Global Competition was Michael Callahan, a graduate student in Systems and Entrepreneurial Engineering at the University of Illinois. Callahan was awarded $10,000 and an entrance into the Global Moot Corp competition for his most recent invention, a device called the Audeo. The Audeo translates neurological signals into spoken words or commands for other devices, such as a motorized wheelchair. By interfacing near the source of vocal production, the Audeo has the potential to restore communication to people who are unable to speak. The proposed solution is a featherweight wireless device resting over the vocal cords capable of transmitting neurological information from the brain. Using data analysis, this information can be processed into synthesized speech or a menu selection capable of conveying the basic necessities of human life. The mission of the Audeo is to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities through utilization of the mind and advanced communication. Callahan’s vision and hope that led to the formation of this company is to, "allow people with disabilities to express their thoughts and ideas, an aspect of life which is often taken for granted. Unfortunately, most patients who lose all motor control have no way of conveying their ideas.” Callahan hopes the Audeo will give people back this ability and allow many more profound ideas to change the world through communication. Callahan started the competition with a disadvantage from missing the feedback round. Instead, he was meeting with Texas Instruments. However, Callahan remained strong throughout the all-day competition. The preliminary was in the first round and took place during the morning. The second and final round narrowed down the competition to three potential winners. Callahan gained an advantage here because as he stated, “We were the only team competing with our very own invention. All the other teams were presenting someone else’s invention, like a professor’s.” The team that developed the Audeo device has co-founded Ambient, a corporation to help people with speaking disabilities regain their ability to communicate. Callahan and his team have entered several competitions and won the V. Dale Cozad Business Plan Competition at the University of Illinois, earning $11,000 to aid in the development of the Audeo, as well as the first $30,000 Lemelson-Illinois Student Prize for innovation. Ambient has also been named Startup of the Year in 2007 and Callahan was named Student of the Year in the 2007 EE Times Annual Creativity in Electronics (ACE) Awards competition.