LinguaLeap: Our AI-Powered Swallowing Assessment Device
LinguaLeap: Our AI-Powered Swallowing Assessment Device
LinguaLeap is SeniorDeli's AI-powered swallowing assessment device, developed under TechUP funding. It uses machine learning to help caregivers, nurses, and front-line care workers identify dysphagia risk at the point of care — without requiring a speech therapist to be present for every assessment.
The Problem with Current Dysphagia Screening
In Hong Kong's care ecosystem, formal swallowing assessment is almost exclusively conducted by speech therapists. While speech therapist evaluation remains the gold standard for complex cases, the demand for assessment far outstrips supply — particularly in residential care homes (RCHEs), community care settings, and the growing population receiving care at home from foreign domestic helpers.
The consequence is that many people with dysphagia go unidentified until a serious aspiration pneumonia event occurs. Earlier, more accessible screening would allow earlier dietary modification, earlier referral, and better outcomes.
What LinguaLeap Does
LinguaLeap is a compact hardware device paired with a mobile application. Together, they deliver a standardised, AI-guided swallowing screening protocol that a trained non-specialist caregiver can administer reliably.
The device captures acoustic and sensor data during a standardised drinking and eating task. The onboard machine learning model — trained on a clinical dataset of validated dysphagia and normal-swallow profiles — analyses the captured signals in real time and produces a risk stratification output: low, moderate, or high dysphagia risk.
The mobile app then guides the caregiver through the appropriate next steps: dietary texture adjustment recommendations aligned with IDDSI levels, referral pathway to a speech therapist, and documentation for the resident's care record.
TechUP Funding and Development Status
LinguaLeap received TechUP funding to support prototype development and clinical validation. The current phase involves clinical validation studies at partner sites in Hong Kong, generating the evidence base required for regulatory submission.
Target commercial launch is Q1 2027 in Hong Kong, followed by rollout across the Greater Bay Area (GBA) via Carewells, SeniorDeli's GBA subsidiary.
Integration with the AI 照護食 Adoption Platform
LinguaLeap's assessment output integrates directly with SeniorDeli's AI 照護食 Adoption Assistant platform. When LinguaLeap identifies a resident at moderate or high dysphagia risk, the platform automatically surfaces the appropriate care food product recommendations and preparation guidance — closing the loop between assessment and dietary intervention.
This integration is a core component of SeniorDeli's HKEX Impact Funding application, which seeks to build Hong Kong's first end-to-end AI-supported care food adoption infrastructure.
For more information about LinguaLeap, contact info@seniordeli.com.