ATL Standard

Inspired by his son's special needs, Tarun Chawdhury, a graduate of Georgia Tech's Online Master of Science in Computer Science (OMSCS) program, has developed an AI-powered application designed to assist children with echolalia and other developmental speech issues. The app, named AI4Echolalia, earned second place at the 2024 TEDAI Hackathon in San Francisco.

Chawdhury credits his education at Georgia Tech for providing him with the skills necessary to address challenges in healthcare and accessibility. His academic journey began in India, where he earned a bachelor's degree in information technology before working in the healthcare sector for Blue Shield of California and CareSource.

The diagnosis of his son with echolalia motivated Chawdhury to leverage technology to help not only his son but others facing similar challenges. "AI and neuroscience are the future," he said, highlighting how courses on health informatics and big data equipped him with foundational skills for exploring artificial intelligence.

AI4Echolalia assists children with speech delays by analyzing conversations between parents and children using Google's Gemini multimodal API platform. It provides real-time guidance for parents on engaging effectively with their children. "It's not a replacement for therapy, but an assistant," Chawdhury explained.

His family played a crucial role in developing the app. His wife contributed her expertise as a special education teacher, while their daughter helped pitch the idea at various hackathons. Their efforts were recognized at the TEDAI Hackathon last October when they won second place.

"Our team—comprised of myself, my wife Mousumi, our daughter Tanisha, and our son Arinjoy—developed this AI-powered solution to support caregivers and parents of children with echolalia," said Chawdhury.

Chawdhury envisions broader applications for this technology beyond speech therapy. He sees potential uses such as streamlining education plans for special needs students or automating patient documentation in healthcare.

The family continues to develop AI4Echolalia internally while seeking partnerships with supportive organizations and speech therapy agencies to refine its capabilities further. A neurologist has joined as an advisor to aid this process.

Reflecting on his time at Georgia Tech, Chawdhury expressed gratitude towards OMSCS Executive Director David Joyner for being a significant influence. "The foundation I built at Georgia Tech has allowed me to pivot into AI and make a real difference," he stated.

Chawdhury's journey is both personal growth and societal impact-focused: "I want to help my son and others like him," he shared. "This is about using technology to empower families and create a better future for those who need it most."