LipSync Device Gets $800K Google Disability Grant
Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2016/05/11 - Updated: 2026/01/15
Publication Type: Announcement
Category Topic: Finance - Related Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This announcement details a significant technology grant awarded to the Neil Squire Society to advance accessible mobile device technology for individuals unable to use their hands. The organization received $800,000 from Google.org's Impact Challenge: Disabilities to develop and release LipSync, an open-source mouth-operated controller that enables touchscreen navigation. With approximately one million people in North America having limited or no arm function, this solution addresses a critical gap in mobile accessibility - existing assistive technology for computers can cost up to $3,000 and doesn't translate well to smartphones and tablets. The open-source design allows makers to produce affordable, customizable versions for users with varying physical needs. This information proves valuable for disability advocates, occupational therapists, assistive technology specialists, and millions of people with upper limb disabilities who face barriers accessing essential mobile applications and services that many take for granted - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
How would you use a touch screen mobile device, if you could not use your hands to touch the device? The support from Google will enable the Neil Squire Society to release the LipSync, a mouth controlled input device enabling people with disabilities to operate a mobile device.
An estimated 1,000,000 people in Canada and the United States have limited or no use of their arms - meaning they're unable to use touchscreen devices that could provide access to helpful apps and services. While solutions exist for desktop computers, they can cost up to $3,000 and do not work well on mobile devices.
Main Content
The LipSync designs will be released open source so that makers can affordably make the solution so that anyone with difficulty using their hands can operate a mobile device using a mouth-operated input controller.
"The support of Google.org will enable us to take our LipSync from prototype in our R&D department into the lives of people with disabilities," says Dr. Gary Birch, Executive Director of the Neil Squire Society.
"Mobile technology has changed the lives of everyone, but can be a new barrier to people that are unable to use their hands. The LipSync solves this problem, and our model of releasing it open source will ensure it is an affordable option that can be customized to the specific needs of people with disabilities worldwide."
"The Google Impact Challenge: Disabilities set out to accelerate the use of technology to create meaningful change in the lives of the one billion people in the world with a disability," says Brigette Hoyer Gosselink, Principal at Google. "We're eager to watch as today's winners, selected from over 1,000 submissions from around the world, build new solutions that will transform lives and make the world more accessible for all."
Launched in May of 2015, the Google Impact Challenge: Disabilities put $20 million in Google.org grants behind nonprofits using emerging technologies to increase independence for people living with disabilities.
About Google.org
Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google, supports nonprofits that innovate to address humanitarian issues. Google.org was created to pursue, experiment with, and build upon ideas to improve the world, and continues to take an iterative approach to philanthropy today. Google.org develops and invests in pursuits that can have measurable impact on local, regional and global issues, and rallies Google's people in support of these efforts with a singular goal of creating a better world, faster.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The significance of the LipSync project extends beyond its immediate technical innovation. By choosing an open-source model rather than proprietary development, the Neil Squire Society has created a blueprint for democratizing assistive technology. This approach challenges the traditional high-cost barrier that has long excluded people with disabilities from accessing cutting-edge solutions. As mobile devices become increasingly central to employment, education, healthcare, and social connection, the availability of affordable adaptive equipment isn't just about convenience - it's about participation in modern life. The project demonstrates how strategic philanthropy combined with open-source principles can multiply impact far beyond the initial investment, potentially reaching users across economic and geographic boundaries - Disabled World (DW).
Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.