Professor Jonathan Harrington conducted research on how language changes over time as part of his first of two ERC Advanced Grants (AdG). This is where his ERC Proof of Concept Grant (PoC) came in.
Professor Jonathan Harrington conducted research on how language changes over time as part of his first of two ERC Advanced Grants (AdG). This is where his ERC Proof of Concept Grant (PoC) came in. With this funding, the ERC supported researchers in translating their results from research into practice. The PoC grant enabled Prof. Harrington to extend the program he has developed so that it can provide automatic diagnoses of speech disorders.
Jonathan Harrington
Impairments in speech function due to neurological diseases, tumor diseases, and childhood developmental disorders represent a significant health problem.
The diagnosis of such disorders is currently based primarily on qualitative and subjective judgments - modern digital speech analysis procedures have not yet been able to establish themselves due to a lack of relevant qualification of speech therapists.
In the project, the digital speech analysis procedures developed at the Institute of Phonetics and Speech Processing will be made available as an online service for clinical applications throughout the German-speaking world and, in perspective, internationally.
The previous ERC Advanced Grant addressed the relationship between first language acquisition in children and the processes of sound change in different language families.
To establish a commercially viable online service for the diagnosis of speech disorders based on automated speech signal analysis procedures. The broad availability of objective and sensitive diagnostic parameters can optimize care pathways for patients with speech disorders.
The information for the preparation of the ERC-PoC from the Research Funding Unit of the LMU, as well as from the National Contact Point in Bonn was indispensable.
That I have the opportunity to conduct applied research, derived from basic research in the ERC Advanced Grant, in the field of speech therapy.
Selling the idea as a project with market potential.
From Brussels - i.e. the information about the ERC PoC was sent to ERC grant holders from Brussels.
Take your time when planning the ERC-PoC.
Dr. Lisanne Sauerwald
Individual one-on-one advice to the PI with the participation of colleagues from the research transfer area and, if possible, all stakeholders from the PI's environment.
Contact the research funding department early on to get information on the specifics of the funding format right from the start. This saves time-consuming reworking later on.
Systematically involve research transfer departments.
Misinterpretation of the program format: PoC is not a research program, but a research exploitation program. This also results in a rather unfamiliar application format for most scientists.
The proactive initiation of a local information event with field reports by the ERC NCP was of great added value, resulting in a number of applications and approved projects.
In general, the prestigious and highly endowed ERC grants have a very high status at our institution.
