Intel Corp. unveiled an update to the communication technology used by Stephen Hawking that would enable the scientist to converse ten times faster than before.
It’s been dubbed the “Assistive Context Aware Toolkit”, or ACAT, and was developed with SwiftKey.
Intel got to show off the technology to actor Eddie Redmayne, who portrayed Stephen Hawking in the biopic “The Theory of Everything,” when he visited their labs in Santa Clara following the announcement.
There, he had some hands-on time with the technology that allows the renowned English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author to communicate despite the motor neuron disease related to ALS which left him mostly paralyzed.
The Theory of Everything first debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and was released last month.
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Hawking has an MND related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS), a condition that has progressed over the years. He is almost entirely paralyzed and communicates through technology.
“Medicine has not been able to cure me, so I rely on technology to help me communicate and live,” said Hawking. “Intel has been supporting me for almost 20 years, allowing me to do what I love every day. The development of this system has the potential to improve the lives of disabled people around the world and is leading the way in terms of human interaction and the ability to overcome communication boundaries that once stood in the way.”