Purdue speech-language entrepreneur elected fellow of National Academy of Inventors

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Jessica Huber, a professor in Purdue University’s Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, has been elected a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.

Fellows of the NAI are inventors on U.S. patents who have been nominated by their peers for outstanding contributions in patents and licensing, noteworthy discovery, significant effect on society, and support and enhancement of innovation.

Huber created SpeechVive, a device that uses a reflex to improve communication for people that have Parkinson’s disease, one of the most common degenerative neurological diseases. SpeechVive Inc. commercialized the Purdue device to help the more than 1 million people in the United States who are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

“I am honored to receive this recognition and even more honored that our work is helping to improve communication for those impacted by this disease,” said Huber, who is also the associate dean for research in Purdue’s College of Health and Human Sciences.

Marion Underwood, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences, said, “Professor Huber’s SpeechVive is an excellent example of Health and Human Sciences faculty innovations that focus on improving health and wellbeing. Given that HHS is such an interdisciplinary college and that our faculty are so creative, I see tremendous opportunity for HHS to discover more pioneering technologies like SpeechVive in the future.”

Huber also is a faculty associate of the Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, which includes around 100 faculty engaged in neuroscience-related research. PIIN is one of six life interdisciplinary life sciences research centers harnessing the university’s unique strengths to improve the quality of life for people around the globe.

Huber co-directs the Center for Research on Brain, Behavior, and NeuroRehabilitation (CEREBBRAL) at Purdue, which engages faculty from 13 departments spanning four colleges in improving quality of life for older adults and those with aging-related diseases.

“Purdue’s commitment to supporting science with impact and a strong ecosystem for interdisciplinary work and entrepreneurship made the commercialization of SpeechVive possible,” Huber said. “Purdue’s ecosystem includes a fair and easy licensing process, legal and patent support, entrepreneurship education for faculty, introductions to investors and investments into Purdue-entrepreneur led businesses.”

SpeechVive Inc is one of the companies selected for the Purdue Foundry’s Double Down Experiment, which consists of nine businesses ready to reach the next level with technologies designed to advance the world. The nine businesses were selected by the Purdue Foundry staff from among the 253 companies the organization has helped during its six years in operation. The Double Down companies range from precision agriculture to education to medical innovations.

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The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Established in 1930, the foundation accepts gifts; administers trusts; funds scholarships and grants; acquires property; protects Purdue’s intellectual property; and promotes entrepreneurial activities on behalf of Purdue. The foundation manages the Purdue Foundry, Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization, Purdue Research Park and Purdue Technology Centers. The foundation received the 2019 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Place from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization at [email protected]. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at [email protected].

Writer: Chris Adam, 765-588-3341, [email protected]

Source: Jessica Huber, [email protected]