Bridging Voice

09/09/2026

Thanks so much to Steve Hughes Data On Wheels ALS for inviting us to contribute to his blog! We were thrilled to share this information about the history of voice preservation and the exciting possibilities AI has made possible over the last few years.

Learn more about our partnership with ElevenLabs that provides people living with ALS with free professional voice clones at www.bridgingvoice.org/elevenlabs

A mom reading bedtime stories. A father's wedding speech. AI voice cloning is helping thousands with ALS sound like themselves again — free through Bridging Voice and ElevenLabs.

09/08/2026

Success with eye gaze devices isn’t just about the technology—it’s about positioning, eye health, lighting, medications, and of course, our specialty: PERSONALIZED support and training! Trinity and Emily, two of Bridging Voice’s brilliant SLPs, joined ’s Start the Chat podcast to share what goes into making eye gaze work in real life, and where the technology is headed next. Don’t get discouraged, it’s a skill that takes time and practice! Check out the full episode wherever you get your podcasts, or on our website at: https://bridgingvoice.org/trainings/start-the-chat-2026

09/08/2026

Success with eye gaze devices isn't just about the technology—it's about positioning, eye health, lighting, medications, and of course, our specialty: PERSONALIZED support and training!Trinity Speech Pathologist and Emily, two of Bridging Voice's brilliant SLPs, joined Smartbox AAC’s Start the Chat podcast to share what goes into making eye gaze work in real life, and where the technology is headed next. Don't get discouraged, it's a skill that takes time and practice! Check out the full episode wherever you get your podcasts, or on our website at: https://buff.ly/nPtZI2a

08/27/2026

Every communication journey with ALS looks different and that's exactly why personalized care matters from day one.

Join us for a free training where we'll walk through real client case studies, exploring the creative device customizations our team developed to meet each person's unique communication needs and the real impact those adaptations had on their lives.

📅 September 15, 2026
🕒 3:00pm ET
🔗 Register: https://bridgingvoice.org/trainings/preserving-connection-2026/

08/21/2026

Heads up, Bridging Voice community! Some of you may have noticed your ElevenLabs voice clone recently stopped working on your communication device. This is a known issue: ElevenLabs made a security update that unfortunately disconnected some existing API keys.

There’s a quick fix:
1️⃣ Create a new API key: Watch the short video from ElevenLabs (tinyurl.com/EL-api-fix) showing how to create one. Copy the key when you’re done — you’ll need it for step 2.
2️⃣ Reconnect it to your device: Head to our ElevenLabs integration chart (www.bridgingvoice.org/elevenlabs/ ) and click on the “instructions” link for your software. You don’t need to go through the whole setup guide — just skip to the section about entering your API key, and pop in the new one you created in Step 1.

Questions? Email us at [email protected] and we’d be happy to help. 💙

08/10/2026

Client Spotlight: Meet Dave
Due to scarring from a prior eye surgery, Dave wasn't able to use an eye tracker for communication. We tried head tracking, facial gesture control, and wired switches, but none gave him sustainable access to communication.

Then we tried something different: the NeuroNode, a wireless sEMG sensor worn on the arm that reads muscle signal instead of eye movement. And that was the turning point! With the NeuroNode, Dave was finally able to communicate with his loved ones again.

Last November, Dave stood as the MVP of his local ALS Walk and delivered a speech in his own words, using his NeuroNode. Moments like this are why our team keeps testing, adapting, and problem-solving until we find the right custom solution for every client. Everyone deserves to be heard 💙

07/22/2026

Did you know it's International Self-Care Month? 💙 Feels like the perfect moment to spotlight an organization focused on exactly that: Opals 4 ALS .

OPALS 4 ALS (Offering Pampering for People Living with ALS) connects compassionate beauty and wellness professionals with people living with ALS to provide services like haircuts, massages, makeup, and nail care that help restore confidence, dignity, and a sense of self amid the profound physical and emotional changes wrought by ALS. They believe beauty and self-care are powerful forms of healing, and that everyone deserves to feel radiant, seen, and strong.

Founded by amazing Bridging Voice client Amy, OPALS 4 ALS has served nearly a dozen people (including a few other Bridging Voice clients!), many of whom return for multiple services.

OPALS 4 ALS currently operates in Wisconsin. They're trying to reach everyone with ALS in the state—if you or someone you love has ALS and lives in Wisconsin, reach out for a little pampering! Learn more and request services at www.OPALS4ALS.org 💙

07/22/2026

We were so honored to have Bridging Voice Executive Director Karina Nagin join Inheritance of Hope’s podcast episode on voice preservation this week.

Listen to the full episode now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube—search for “The Inheritance of Hope Podcast”.

07/21/2026

Over years of working with people living with ALS and their families throughout every stage of the disease, we noticed a pattern that we couldn’t ignore. Clients who, despite every tool, customization, and innovation we had to offer, slowly lost the ability to reliably communicate. It wasn’t End of Life or a device or training problem—it was something different that we realized had no name, no definition, and no dedicated resources.

So we brought it to our community. This past spring, we hosted a roundtable and an open training session attended by hundreds of pwALS, caregivers, and practitioners who shared their experiences and helped us shape what a resource on this topic needed to say.

Today, we’re proud to share what came from those conversations: two free resources that define “End of Communication” and help guide people living with ALS and their caregivers through this difficult stage.

We know this is an emotionally heavy topic, and want to be clear that End of Communication will not be the experience for every person with ALS. If it doesn’t feel like the right conversation for you right now, that’s okay. These resources will be here if or when you need them.

We think of these materials as the beginning of a conversation that’s long overdue. A huge thank you to the community that helped make them possible. We ask for your email to access these resources so that we can follow up to gather feedback and continue improving these over time.

Read the full story and access both resources at: https://buff.ly/F6l11sL

05/19/2026

Synchron Inc. is a leader in cutting-edge, non-surgical brain computer interface (BCI) technology, and last week, the Bridging Voice team had the privilege of presenting to their R&D, clinical, and senior leadership teams at their headquarters in Brooklyn.

Having worked with more than 6,500 people and families with ALS, the Bridging Voice team has deep experience, robust data, and a library of custom innovations that we've developed along the way. It was incredible to share our insights with a team equally committed to designing solutions WITH people living with ALS, not just for them.

Several of our clients have participated in Synchron's milestone COMMAND study, a clinical trial evaluating BCI implants for people with paralysis that would enable them to control digital devices using only their thoughts. We're excited for what this developing technology could mean for the ALS community and are looking forward to continuing to collaborate with Synchron to improve quality of life for people living with ALS 💙

Thanks for hosting us, Synchron!