An AI-powered app enabling people living with ALS communicate in their own voice

Talk to Me, Goose! is an AI app that helps people with ALS communicate in their own voice. It uses ElevenLabs and Anthropic AI, offers a Story Builder and personalized prediction, and is cheaper than typical AAC devices. Launched March 2025; by mid‑2025 it had 554 users in 64 countries.

Talk to Me, Goose! is an AI-powered text-to-speech app, which is promoted by Mundell Designs, a small start-up company based in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania). Talk to Me, Goose! works on iOS-devices and turns all input by keyboard, touch, voice, or assistive switches into rapid, natural speech. Thus, it enables persons with ALS and other nonverbal conditions to communicate independently. Launched in March 2025, it reached 554 users across 64 countries in just three months, and is planning to expand to more platforms and funding partnerships.

Problems Targeted

People with ALS and other non-verbal conditions face barriers as assistive communication devices remain costly and limited.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

Talk to Me, Goose! was designed and developed by David Betts, diagnosed with ALS in 2024, who created the solution based on personal experience and need. Named after a quote from the movie “Top Gun,” it uses the voice cloning technology by ElevenLabs and Anthropic AI, both AI-based technology services, to provide contextually relevant, human-like responses with minimal user input. This enables people with ALS and other non-verbal conditions to communicate independently. Talk to Me, Goose! goes beyond utilitarian communication, enabling storytelling and emotional nuance through features such as Story Builder and personalized language prediction. This improves the speed and ease with which users can express themselves. Unlike existing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, Talk to Me, Goose! eliminates the 'awkward pause' of eye gaze systems, enhancing conversational flow and reducing user fatigue. As a downloadable app, it is also significantly cheaper than existing AAC devices. Since March 2025, the app has been available on the Apple App Store, enabling communication via any input method on iPhones, including keyboard, touch, voice, or assistive switches. By mid-2025, the app had reached 554 users in 64 countries across six continents.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

Talk to Me, Goose! was self-financed with a $50,000 investment and $350,000 in development time. The business model that is currently developed is based on revenues coming from subscriptions, with plans for grant-funded free access. The app can scale worldwide through digital distribution, with expansion to more platforms as a key strategy. Plans include building global partnerships, adapting to regional needs, and bundling with hardware to reach underserved communities. (#ZeroCall26)

Pictures

Talk to Me, Goose! enables people with ALS to communicate independently.

Talk to Me, Goose! enables people with ALS to communicate independently.

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