A Centre County woman is using innovative technology to change the lives of those who struggle with non-verbal communication.

Mary Elizabeth McCulloch developed “Project Vive” after a trip to Ecuador, where she worked with children and adults in a special needs orphanage.

“I realized that these kids and adults were smart. There were things that they wanted to do and things they wanted to say, but if I didn’t guess what they wanted to do, it wasn’t going to be introduced,” McCulloch said.

The low-cost, speech generation device is for people with low motor control, who have Cerebral Palsy, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis and Rett syndrome.

“We’re really interested in creating something that’s low cost, that you can actually buy without going through insurance claims. Insurance claims can be very complicated, especially for a device that’s not medically necessary and it could take months for your to complete,” McCulloch said. “With a diagnosis like ALS, it’s important that you get someone the technology they need so they can start learning it and using it and allow them to have a better quality of life.”

The products are made locally in Centre County. Everything is under $500 and includes wearable devices, a sensor and a box.

The patent product  is currently in the testing phase. To learn more about Project Vive, click here.