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Patricia Scanlon is an Irish entrepreneur and Ireland’s first AI Ambassador. She founded SoapBox Labs in 2013, a company that applies artificial intelligence to develop speech recognition technology that is specifically tuned to children's voices. Applications of the technology include literacy, language learning, and speech therapy, as well as smart toys, gaming, voice control, augmented reality, virtual reality, robotics, and the Internet of things. [1] Scanlon was SoapBox Labs’ chief executive officer (CEO) from the company’s founding until May 2021, when she became executive chair. SoapBox Labs is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. [2] In 2022, Scanlon was appointed by the Irish Government as Ireland’s first AI Ambassador. In this role, she leads a national conversation on how AI can help Irish businesses compete globally by offering differentiated solutions, cost savings, and faster scaling. [3]
SBL3535 ( talk) 15:04, 2 November 2022 (UTC)
References
![]() | Part of an edit requested by an editor with a conflict of interest has been implemented. |
SBL3535 (
talk)
15:33, 2 November 2022 (UTC)
References
![]() | Part of an edit requested by an editor with a conflict of interest has been implemented. |
The off-the-shelf voice technology found in devices like Amazon Echo or Google Home are built primarily for adults, using adult voice data. Kids have higher pitched voices and unpredictable speech patterns. Unlike adults, kids also won't adapt their speech to ensure they are understood by voice-controlled user interfaces and smart assistants. Voice technology based on adult voice data models performs poorly when used by kids, and the younger the kid, the poorer the performance. [1]
SoapBox Labs develops speech recognition technology specifically for children. The company has created its own unique children's speech dataset with thousands of hours of children's audio. It uses artificial intelligence and deep neural networks to build its proprietary speech recognition technology, which can analyze children's speech in real-world noisy environments. [2]
SoapBox Labs’ technology is integrated into third-party apps, games, and other digital tools. The company’s two main markets are education and entertainment. The technology can help children learn to read or to learn a new language, or can be used for chat moderation, search and navigation by game developers and embedded into smart toys. SoapBox’s technology voice-enables learning tools, gaming experiences, toys and virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) experiences. [3]
SoapBox Labs has raised more than $12 million USD in funding since its founding in 2013. [4]
SBL3535 (
talk)
15:49, 2 November 2022 (UTC)
References
![]() | Part of an edit requested by an editor with a conflict of interest has been implemented. |
To date, Scanlon has received international recognition for her entrepreneurship and contributions to the field of speech recognition technology.
In October 2018, Scanlon was listed by Forbes as one of the top 50 Women in Tech in Europe and one of the top 50 Women in Tech worldwide. [1]
In November 2019, she received the Spider Awards Digital Hero Award. [2]
In 2020, she was listed #6 by Voicebot.ai as a top Visionary in Voice, a list topped by Jeff Bezos, the founder, executive chairman and former president and CEO of Amazon. [3]
In 2021, Scanlon was named a finalist of the EU Prize for Women Innovators, a prize that honors the most talented women entrepreneurs from across Europe and is managed by the European Innovation Council. [4]
SBL3535 (
talk)
16:06, 2 November 2022 (UTC)
References
![]() | This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest was declined. |
In 2022, Scanlon was appointed Artificial Intelligence Ambassador by the Irish Government and regularly presents on regulating AI and ethical concerns of privacy, bias, and discrimination. [1] [2]
As founder and executive chair of SoapBox Labs, Scanlon regularly speaks at conferences and events in Ireland and internationally, including:
SBL3535 (
talk)
16:41, 2 November 2022 (UTC)
References
![]() | This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest was declined. |
SBL3535 (
talk)
16:47, 2 November 2022 (UTC)
References
This article must adhere to the biographies of living persons (BLP) policy, even if it is not a biography, because it contains material about living persons. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libellous. If such material is repeatedly inserted, or if you have other concerns, please report the issue to this noticeboard.If you are a subject of this article, or acting on behalf of one, and you need help, please see this help page. |
![]() | This article is rated Start-class on Wikipedia's
content assessment scale. It is of interest to the following WikiProjects: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
![]() | Part of an edit requested by an editor with a conflict of interest has been implemented. |
Patricia Scanlon is an Irish entrepreneur and Ireland’s first AI Ambassador. She founded SoapBox Labs in 2013, a company that applies artificial intelligence to develop speech recognition technology that is specifically tuned to children's voices. Applications of the technology include literacy, language learning, and speech therapy, as well as smart toys, gaming, voice control, augmented reality, virtual reality, robotics, and the Internet of things. [1] Scanlon was SoapBox Labs’ chief executive officer (CEO) from the company’s founding until May 2021, when she became executive chair. SoapBox Labs is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. [2] In 2022, Scanlon was appointed by the Irish Government as Ireland’s first AI Ambassador. In this role, she leads a national conversation on how AI can help Irish businesses compete globally by offering differentiated solutions, cost savings, and faster scaling. [3]
SBL3535 ( talk) 15:04, 2 November 2022 (UTC)
References
![]() | Part of an edit requested by an editor with a conflict of interest has been implemented. |
SBL3535 (
talk)
15:33, 2 November 2022 (UTC)
References
![]() | Part of an edit requested by an editor with a conflict of interest has been implemented. |
The off-the-shelf voice technology found in devices like Amazon Echo or Google Home are built primarily for adults, using adult voice data. Kids have higher pitched voices and unpredictable speech patterns. Unlike adults, kids also won't adapt their speech to ensure they are understood by voice-controlled user interfaces and smart assistants. Voice technology based on adult voice data models performs poorly when used by kids, and the younger the kid, the poorer the performance. [1]
SoapBox Labs develops speech recognition technology specifically for children. The company has created its own unique children's speech dataset with thousands of hours of children's audio. It uses artificial intelligence and deep neural networks to build its proprietary speech recognition technology, which can analyze children's speech in real-world noisy environments. [2]
SoapBox Labs’ technology is integrated into third-party apps, games, and other digital tools. The company’s two main markets are education and entertainment. The technology can help children learn to read or to learn a new language, or can be used for chat moderation, search and navigation by game developers and embedded into smart toys. SoapBox’s technology voice-enables learning tools, gaming experiences, toys and virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) experiences. [3]
SoapBox Labs has raised more than $12 million USD in funding since its founding in 2013. [4]
SBL3535 (
talk)
15:49, 2 November 2022 (UTC)
References
![]() | Part of an edit requested by an editor with a conflict of interest has been implemented. |
To date, Scanlon has received international recognition for her entrepreneurship and contributions to the field of speech recognition technology.
In October 2018, Scanlon was listed by Forbes as one of the top 50 Women in Tech in Europe and one of the top 50 Women in Tech worldwide. [1]
In November 2019, she received the Spider Awards Digital Hero Award. [2]
In 2020, she was listed #6 by Voicebot.ai as a top Visionary in Voice, a list topped by Jeff Bezos, the founder, executive chairman and former president and CEO of Amazon. [3]
In 2021, Scanlon was named a finalist of the EU Prize for Women Innovators, a prize that honors the most talented women entrepreneurs from across Europe and is managed by the European Innovation Council. [4]
SBL3535 (
talk)
16:06, 2 November 2022 (UTC)
References
![]() | This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest was declined. |
In 2022, Scanlon was appointed Artificial Intelligence Ambassador by the Irish Government and regularly presents on regulating AI and ethical concerns of privacy, bias, and discrimination. [1] [2]
As founder and executive chair of SoapBox Labs, Scanlon regularly speaks at conferences and events in Ireland and internationally, including:
SBL3535 (
talk)
16:41, 2 November 2022 (UTC)
References
![]() | This edit request by an editor with a conflict of interest was declined. |
SBL3535 (
talk)
16:47, 2 November 2022 (UTC)
References