The winners of the ALS Assistive Technology Challenge were awarded cash prizes. | Courtesy of Shutterstock
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Amanda Rupp | May 9, 2016

ALS Assistive Technology Challenge winners earn cash prizes

The ALS Association has partnered with Prize4Life to announce the winners of its first phase of The ALS Assistive Technology Challenge, granting a total of $400,000 in prizes.

The prize is given to be used to create accessible, flexible technology that will help amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients communicate with others more easily.

ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease, damages the nerve cells located in the spinal cord and the brain. People who have ALS gradually lose their power to control and initiate muscle movement. Within a few years after receiving the diagnosis, the disease progresses to complete paralysis or death. Researchers have not yet discovered why veterans are two times more likely to have ALS than the average citizen.

As of today, there isn’t a cure for ALS. The FDA has approved only one drug, which slightly extends patients’ survival rates. This makes projects like this first phase crucial to developing cures for ALS.

“This is a challenge aimed at accelerating innovation in one of the areas of greatest need for people with ALS - the power to maintain their ability to communicate as the disease progresses,” Lucie Bruijn, chief scientist for The ALS Association, said. “We are excited to see that we received a robust response to the program from diverse international teams with innovative projects.”

The prize phase welcomes industries, academics, startups and any other inventors who want to make a lasting, positive difference for people who have ALS.

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