Watch: Moment Woman With ALS Recovers Voice With AI
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Debbie Lopez lost her voice to a muscle-weakening disease, but with the help of new artificial intelligence (AI) technology, she is speaking to her family again, Monroe Community Hospital (MCH) in Rochester, New York, confirmed to Newsweek.
Why It Matters
Lopez, who has been a patient at MCH since February, was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) in 2019. ALS is a disease that affects the nerve cells in the body, causing the muscles to become weak and can lead to paralysis and loss of voice.
No singular cause has been identified for most causes of ALS, with some research into factors that may be linked, such as heredity, environmental exposures, and diet, among others.
About 30,000 people in the United States are living with ALS, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which notes that tracking the disease can be challenging.
AI technology is rapidly transforming society, reshaping jobs, productivity and advancements across sectors, including medicine.
What to Know
Several years ago, Lopez, 39, started a YouTube channel, Living with Lemons, to document her health journey, raise awareness, and provide comfort to others going through a similar experience.
The channel has ended up being able to give Lopez her voice back, as speech pathologist Jaime Spencer, who provides care to Lopez at MCH explained, "We were able to get her voice from using her YouTube channel," adding, "and from there they were able to clone anything that she wants to say."
The AI voice, which mirrors Lopez's, can now mimic anything Lopez types, thanks to the content from her YouTube videos and the technology's ability to replicate speech.
MCH shared with Newsweek a video of Lopez breaking into a smile as she hears her voice from the device, saying in what sounds just like her, "Hi, I am Debbie Lopez."
A screen grab of a Monroe Community Hospital video showing Debbie Lopez, a patient with ALS, hearing her voice from AI.
A screen grab of a Monroe Community Hospital video showing Debbie Lopez, a patient with ALS, hearing her voice from AI.
Monroe Community Hospital
Lopez uses an Eyegaze device to control what the AI says, allowing her to direct and select items with her eyes, send messages and surf the web, among other features.
"Cameras on the device track her eye movements and she can look at different parts of her monitor for either letters, words, or popular phrases or presets she has on her communications device," an MCH spokesperson told Newsweek in an email Wednesday.
In the MCH video explaining Lopez's health journey and the use of the AI, Spencer said, "This new software and this new technology has been amazing because it allows patients and individuals to preserve some of the most intimate parts of them and what makes you you, is your voice."
Lopez, through the AI, says in the video, "Even if I can't make a sound, I still have a voice."
Lopez and her team at MCH are working on preserving her voice for her three children and family members by reading and recording some of her favorite children's books.
What Happens Next
Lopez remains in high spirits despite the severity of her disease, saying, "It's broken everyone who loves me and everyone I love, but it hasn't broken me," and adding, "I get to see the best in everyone."
AI is increasingly being used in medical settings, from diagnostics and predictive analytics to assisted surgeries and the development of new treatments.
"ALS can be pretty isolating. Patients lose function of much of their body parts. Anything that helps restore a sense of normalcy is a huge benefit," a MCH spokesperson told Newsweek.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Dalmatian and Doberman Have Puppies—Internet Not Ready for the Result
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A video revealing the result of two unexpected dog breeds having a puppy left people falling head over paws. Hopping on a social media trend that showcases photos of one's parents and their offspring, TikTok user @yes_510 decided to use the same method but with the family's two dogs—a Dalmatian and Doberman Pinscher—in a June 10 video. The video highlighted the canine parents, with viewers instantly falling in love with the unique puppies. The owner shared in a comment that these two dogs are about four years apart, yet the female Dalmatian and male Doberman became best friends, constantly staying by each other's side. The two snuggled together every chance they could get, with the Dalmatian typically sleeping right on top. Eventually, these two dogs mated. The last clip on the owner's TikTok showcases one of their pups, often referred to as a Dalmatian Pinscher. The puppy began marching toward the camera. The brown fur nearly covered the pup's entire tiny body, a strong indication that the Doberman's genes are strong, but as viewers pointed out, the paws are all mom. Newsweek reached out to @yes_510 via TikTok for comment. Viewer Reactions As is often the case with videos featuring mixed dog breeds, several viewers expressed concerns about the puppies' ethical and health implications. Dalmatian Pinschers are susceptible to several health conditions, including urinary tract infections, dental diseases, dilated cardiomyopathy, progressive retinal atrophy and Von Willebrand's disease, according to Dogster. The report emphasized the importance of acquiring a dog from a reputable breeder who conducts genetic health testing on the parents and screens for health conditions before selling the puppies. "...Health testing, stable temperaments, avoiding genetic issues, all of it gets thrown out the window for the sake of a 'cute' mix. The ignorance is honestly exhausting," one person said in the comments on @yes_510's video. Screenshots from a June 10 TikTok video of a Dalmatian and Doberman who became parents. Screenshots from a June 10 TikTok video of a Dalmatian and Doberman who became parents. @yes_510/TikTok The owner commented that this was an accidental "one-time thing." The family will be getting the Dalmatian fixed soon as they work on finding homes for the puppies. They plan on keeping the runt of the litter as their third dog. Meanwhile, many of the nearly 700,000 TikTok viewers fell in love with the result, calling the puppy the "collab" they didn't know they needed. "Shoe game goes crazy," someone wrote about the unique paws, while a viewer called the paws "cookies and cream socks." "Justice for the mom. Why she got 10% of the deal?" asked another. Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@ with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
The Verge
3 hours ago
- The Verge
It's time for Dan Da Dan season 2.
Posted Jul 3, 2025 at 4:30 PM UTC It's time for Dan Da Dan season 2. Following its theatrical preview earlier this summer, the second of Science Saru's Dan Da Dan adaptation is finally streaming on Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu, and a few other streaming platforms depending on which territory you live in. You can also check out the new season's opening and closing credits sequences on YouTube.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Woman Wants To Make Crucial Point About Botox—so She Injects Half Her Face
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Botox myths often center around fears of a frozen face, permanence, and safety. But one aesthetic nurse practitioner has tried to set the record straight by conducting her own experiment and sharing it online. Brittany Krautheim, 41, decided to inject only half of her face with shots of the neurotoxin to show exactly how it works by temporarily preventing muscle movement. In a series of TikTok clips, she discusses the effect on each part of her face in detail. Newsweek spoke to Krautheim via email about one of those videos—specifically her forehead-focused clip, shared to her account @skndeepbritt, which has amassed 2.5 million views. "I wanted to do this series of videos to really educate the general public about what Botox does, what it is capable of, realistic results, and expectations of treatment," she told Newsweek. The left side is smooth and the right has lines when she raises her eyebrows. The left side is smooth and the right has lines when she raises her eyebrows. TikTok/@skndeepbritt There was a 4 percent rise in neuromodulator injections in 2024, with 9,883,711 procedures performed, up from 9,480,949 in 2023, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. But that doesn't mean people don't still have questions or worries. Based in Maryland, Krautheim has been a nurse for 21 years. She explained that people often reach out to her with questions about Botox, so she wanted to offer a clear, visual explanation. "That way, if people are interested in a treatment like this, they can be well educated and pursue it further if they desire," she told Newsweek. In the video, Krautheim explains that as people age, their facial muscles work harder to keep the skin lifted. This is a key reason wrinkles develop over time. She notes that people under 60 aren't excessively lifting their brows but are still expressing emotions—something she demonstrates by making surprised and happy faces. She explains that these expressions involve moving the eyebrows, which causes lines to form as we age and produce less collagen. Collagen is a protein in the skin that provides structure and elasticity; its decline with age leads to less firm, more wrinkle-prone skin. To illustrate the impact of Botox, Krautheim injected the left side of her forehead. She then raises her right brow, which moves much higher and creates visible lines, while the treated side remains smooth. Since posting the clips, Krautheim told Newsweek that she has now balanced things out. "I have injected the other half of my face with Botox," she said. "It did start to feel a bit strange to just have one side of my face hyper animated but it was a great conversation starter." Indeed, the clip has certainly become a talking point online, receiving more than 88,000 likes and 1,035 comments. "Your non injected side is what I would prefer, but support people doing what they want," said one user and another disagreed: "The injected side looks good! She still has expression there's just no visible lines there! Her brow still moves! I'm all for Botox! Thanks for educating the humans!" However not everyone feels the same, with some users favoring the non-Botox side. "I think the consensus is the non Botox side looks more natural and better. Sorry to say," said a third commenter. Newsweek reached out to Botox for a comment.
