Key-x, The Special Education Platform

More than 3% of a population have physical or motor disabilities. And more than 20% have other types of disabilities. We can attend most of them, and according to Coherent Market Insights, globally, more than 1 billion people need 1 or more assistive products. We have an essential set of assistive technology that helps people with disabilities that are unable to use computers and mobile devices due to motion limitations or lack of fine-motor coordination. Our solution Key-x primarily works as a keyboard and a mouse and brings digital accessibility to people with disabilities by providing innovative tools for accessing computers with greater autonomy even using eye blinks or slight body gestures, for communicating, learning, gaming and living. Together with our educational platform, people with intellectual disabilities efficiently use computers and mobile devices. If scaled globally it will reach Millions of people including their family, schools and community. 

We solve the problem of people with disabilities that are unable to use computers and mobile devices due to motion limitations of lack of fine motor coordination. The innovation of our solution resides in its design, built to fit a wide variety of motion limitations while being compatible with any computer, smartphones and tablets, without requiring any software installation at all. In United States we have 6 Million direct users who could better their lives with our technology. When including Down syndrome and autism, with our education package, we have more than 20 Million people.

Our product is multi-lingual (we already have versions for Portuguese, English and Spanish), and can be sold in countries with an aggregate population of around 1 billion people, of which approximately 2% to 3% have severe motor disabilities. Our device can be used by children and adults. Some of the disabilities that we help: Cerebral Palsy, Motor sequels of strokes, Sequels of spinal cord injuries, ALS,Parkinson's disease, Intellectual disabilities (including Down syndrome and some cases of autism). Using the software we are able to detect in childhood, some dysfunctions that could be taken care of when they are in the beginning.

We are working in many states and cities in Brazil. In a particular municipality called RECIFE, we are helping more than 500 children including Down syndrome, different degrees of autism, physical and motor deficiencies, to show their talents and taking some of them out of the invisibility. Seeing your child communicate with the world is one of the greatest wishes of parents of children with disabilities. And this achievement was made possible by the use of technologies that help students learn in the public school system in a city named Recife, Brazil. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, Amanda Cabral, 10, is in her fifth year of elementary school and is now able to express herself because of our educational solution called Key-X. Now, she is able to write and can use a notebook to attend classes with her classmates, and is no longer invisible.

Inclusive education seeks to ensure that all students, with or without disabilities, participate actively in school activities with their community. From this perspective, Google applications and technologies helped in many ways of teaching and learning which made the interaction between teacher and student the fundamental point of the learning process, respecting the individual pace of learning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CEMJNzfpmg

Bellow, we describe in short videos what is our solution. But it is essential to understand that as the challenge states: "How can all children ages 0-5 develop the critical learning and cognitive skills they need to reach their full potential?" And as we quite understand that "The first few years of life represent the crucial window of peak brain development where more than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second.", We are quite sure that stimulating these kids with special needs with our platform during their best ages to learn and communicate, we will be able to achieve impressive and unbelievable results when they get older. We have been inside the schools down here in Brazil for the past four years, and we are witnessing some miracles.

We solve the problem of People with disabilities that are unable to use computers and mobile devices due to motion limitations or lack of fine motor coordination. The innovation of our solution resides in its design, built to fit a wide variety of motion limitations while being compatible with any computer (and even smartphones and tablets) without requiring any software installation at all.

Our daily basis operation is helping our customers (Public and private institutions, end users, teachers, occupational Therapysts and other Special education professionals) to better operate our solution. And of course, visiting schools and creating workshops for them to test, feel and understand the solution.

Key-x and its accessories give autonomy, privacy, and empower People with disabilities to use tablets, computers, and smartphones. They will be able to communicate and learn. And by doing that, we bring them to our technological world and open all the exponential possibilities they have. We are disrupting special education with our platform!

To better understand our technology, we really encourage everybody to
look at some videos because "Seeing is Believing" in our case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QihHpG_X498

https://youtu.be/sh4NHeYfHGw

Autism with Key-x and our educational Platform.

https://youtu.be/q4yUGUwtfRQ

Just a small sample of our educational Platform  

https://youtu.be/IHHe-1ujEKc

The innovation of our solution resides in its design, built to fit a wide variety of motion limitations while being compatible with any computer (and even smartphones and tablets) without requiring any software installation at all.

Unlike other many assistive technology products, Key-X was designed to suit a wide variety of disabilities and for many different accessibility purposes, from teaching math to a child with Down´s Syndrome to allowing a computer scientist with cerebral palsy to code.

For the last four years, we have been improving the Key-X device to make it even more accessible. We have also developed a set of companion software with gamification techniques for learning.

Finally, Key2Enable has filled a PCT patent application to protect our product in several target markets, such as the United States, Europe and Brazil.

This picture details our integrated solution of digital accessibility for school inclusion – a set of technologies that aims to promote the excellency in attention of the students with disabilities. The solution is composed of the elements described below:

The Key-X is an electronic panel with 11 sensitive touch keys, designed to replace the keyboard and mouse and enable the usage of computers, notebooks, tablets and smartphones by people with the most varied functional limitations.

SIMPLIX - Our educational platform

We are already doing that. For the past 4 years in brazil we went to all the places that people with disabilities are. Children, teenagers and elder people. 

We know and we have MANY proofs of real use and unbelievable results. And we know that if young children with disabilities are exposed to our solution, most of them they will be able to achieve in less time, knowledge and abilities that will make a big difference in their lives forever.

We started with all this in Mind to make it happen:

WHAT IS KEY2ENABLE: Key2Enable brings digital accessibility to people with disabilities by providing innovative tools such as the Key-X keyboard for accessing computers, learning and communicating.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: Key-X is a set of hardware and software tools that allow individuals with physical, motor and intellectual disabilities to efficiently use computers and mobile devices for communicating, learning, gaming and living with greater autonomy.

It´s comprised of a uniquely designed device (the Key-X itself) that primarily works as a keyboard and mouse for anyone who does not have fine motor coordination or any limb motion capability at all.

By using Key-X and its accessories, people can even use eye blinks or slight body gestures to learn lessons, write, access the internet, communicate or play games. 

VALUE PROPOSITION: Key2Enable brings digital accessibility to people with disabilities by providing innovative tools for accessing computers, learning and communicating.

We are directly helping around 3000 people and 10.000 around them.

These people are inside their homes, Schools, Rehabilitation centers, Associations, foundations and clinics.

In 1 year we expect 4000 people and at least 12.000 people around them.

In 5 years we will be directly impacting more than 1.000.000 people with our solution. Many of them will be direct users. 

We exist with the goal of using exponential technologies to give autonomy and plenty of possibilities to people with motor and intellectual disabilities all around the world.

in 2018. Key2Enable became a portfolio company of Singularity University, the world’s leading school of innovation and entrepreneurship.

www.su.org/ventures

That means we are considered capable of impacting 1 billion people in the next 10 years with our suite of disrupting solutions and applications designed for people with disabilities.

During 2019 we plan to make our technology known and available for key customers in the USA, Creating a culture for its use.

Piloting our assistive technologies in selected markets and channels.

Providing professionals to assist the use of the products by the onsite and remote support.

Working on our Channels with partners with contracts at schools and reaching organizations for people with motor disabilities.

Reaching a significant part of 10 million people with motor disabilities in the United States in the next 3 years.

Visiting Public Schools, only in the USA they are more than 100.000

we ’ll be Partnering with companies that already sell to the school system, like International School Services, School Specialty or K12.

The proposed product needs extensive and aggressive marketing to penetrate the market and cut a niche. The presence of free devices may pose a significant barrier to marketing the Key-X keyboard. However, our team will engage potential buyers through social media campaigns, corporate social program, print and audiovisual advertising. Another risk is theft of patent or infringement of the intellectual rights by some stakeholders. This risk will be addressed by protecting our production ideas through registration. All stakeholders will be required to obtain authority to model, upgrade, use or sell our products. 

But as we have already thousands or real users, we know that we have an Unique solution. So, our biggest Barrier will be money to finance our global goal. 

We currently sell directly to our final customers (institutions, clinics, end user), through our online store or direct orders. We intend to nominate regional distributors to handle the growing sales and to help us with the customer care. We will also keep on promoting sales through social media and participating in trade fairs of Assistive Technology and Educational Technologies. Also, a very good idea that is functioning in Brazil: We are visiting some counties and inviting teachers that deals with special education to participate with us on workshops. We show them this new assistive technology and also provide them all the information they need to start using it with their students. We let them sit and use KEY-X, Simplix and all the accessories. When they do that, it instantly reminds them about all their students and the benefits that the solution could bring to them.

We are also applying for grants and we have a non-profit partner that is trying to start some pilots with us.

x

8 full time staff and 2 part-time

Strengths: We Focus on prior results, not titles; we all have this passion and a sense of excitement and enthusiasm for the company. We all also have a clear Vision, inspiration, perseverance and the Courage to control your destiny and get outside of your comfort zone. We are also very focused and are Results-oriented to make decisions and drive to the finish to achieve the desired status.

Weakness: We do not have a woman inside our Startup. We understand how important it is and we have so many reasons to do that. But we will start interviewing the female FORCE as soon as we receive our second investment, that will come from Kryptolabs UAE next month.

[Adriano Assis, Co-founder, and CEO]

[https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriano-rabelo-assis/]

[Electrical and Computing Engineer from the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. A developer of assistive products based on digital electronics and embedded systems. Ten years of consultancy experience in devices and interfaces for digital accessibility.]

[Julio de Melo, Co-founder, and CTO]

[https://www.linkedin.com/in/julio-c-d-de-melo-22793525/]

[Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. Worked for 27 years as a Professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, in Brazil.]

The experience of engaging with companies that already have a more excellent knowledge of the market is always positive. We are still learning and using good practices at every opportunity that is given to us. I will enumerate below some participation and engagements that have provided us with more knowledge, visibility, and unique learning.
1 - We have made a deal at the beginning of 2018 with a Corporate which is in the educational market for the last 20 years in Brazil. Together with us, they built a complete educational solution for people with disabilities, using our assistive technology. This solution is changing the way professors educate children with different kinds of limitations inside the classrooms. The organization website is

www.tixletramento.com.br

Our product has different kinds of customers: some of them are disabled people or their families, some are health and education professionals, and some are institutions like rehabilitation clinics and schools.

Disabled people and families: these customers purchase the product to empower a person, making way for him or her to use computers and mobile devices by him or herself. This gives the person confidence, autonomy, privacy and, in many cases, a compelling new way of communicating with the family and other people.

Rehabilitation Clinics: our product fits these customers because it is a powerful tool for several kinds of rehabilitation therapies attended by people with disabilities such as the consequences of cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), strokes, Parkinson's disease, congenital malformation, amputations, and many others. Professionals who take significant advantage of TiX with patients include occupational therapists, phono audiologists and physiotherapists.

Schools: Key-x provides endless possibilities for improving the learning process of students with disabilities. For those with only physical and or motor coordination related limitations, TiX offers several ways of using a computer or mobile device for writing, playing games, attending computer-assisted lessons and much more.

In addition, students with intellectual disabilities can benefit from the attractive interface of the board in association with the companion software Simplix, which uses the same visual language of colored icons of the Key-x keys to induce the user to make simple, logical associations between the buttons and the images or words shown in the computer screen.

We have been  working with Singularity University's network for the past year. Their INCUBATOR PROGRAM accelerated us for two months inside NASA Research Center in Mountain View - CA and also participated in four events during last year (2018). Inside the USA we carried some actions in 3 more states during 2018.

We made a deal with the government of Costa Rica. We will start operations inside all schools in the country in 2020.

Because of Kryptolabs, we have already started a relationship with the government of ABU DHABI to make the first PILOTS of our solution inside some Schools.

As most of our team Speaks English, Spanish and one of them speaks Italian and German, we had a great time dealing with other countries and cultures. : People with disabilities are everywhere! And we have the tool to make them all communicate, regardless of their country and language.

The global elderly and disabled assistive devices market was valued at $19 billion in 2015 and is expected to surpass $28 billion by 2024, according to Coherent Market Insights. Globally, more than 1 billion people need 1 or more assistive products. With an aging global population and a rise in noncommunicable diseases, more than 2 billion people will need at least one assistive product by 2050, with many older people needing 2 or more.

We understand that Solve supports impact-focused startups that are dedicated not only to solving humanity’s most urgent challenges but doing so at a global scale. To achieve our vision and our purpose we need to
focus more on long-term outcomes and less on generating short-term
returns and therefore we require a different kind of capital, a different
kind of support system, and a different definition of return and
success. We want to learn from and meet with potential partners within and outside the US and we know Solve's connections and resources will be invaluable to us.

I Chose Other because it is not showing the categories above...

But I would like:

Impact Measurement Validation and Support

Peer-to-Peer Networking

Grant Funding

Special Education in USA mentorship

We want to develop partnership with some non-profit associations in the United States that are related to Special education.

1)Government Agencies, mainly the Secretary of education and also the Health Department. All governments have an inclusion department. It would be great to talk to them too.

Why should they be the first?

According to this publication: 

Because of the many issues they address about the inclusion challenges they face to meet the needs of diverse students, particularly those with special educational needs (SEN), and the steps needed to advance towards providing quality education to all students.

And we have a Unique solution to Start the ENDING of this situation. After these representatives of the Government see and understand the Health/education solution we have to offer, they will at least considerer applying the solution inside all the schools. And after we have a letter of intent, I think it would be the best time to talk to:

2)Corporates: Google for education, Google.org, Microsoft (Satya Nadella because he has a son with cerebral palsy that could benefit from our solution), Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation , and https://www.barbarabush.org/. We would like to meet some of them in person to show our solution e tell them how we can help Millions of people.  

3)Angel investors: We want to open conversations with Angels and V.Cs that cares for Special Educational.

4)Business Partners: We would like to partner with companies that are already selling to the Government in the educational area.

Our educational platform will use artificial intelligence to collect data and propose tasks and activities according to the disability of each person who registers in the system. With the use of artificial intelligence, our solution becomes ESSENTIAL to accompany the life of the disabled person as soon as they get inside the school system in their childhood. This data can accompany these children until they become a teenager because, within this database, there will be innumerable information about their development and all the skills they have acquired throughout her time in school. This database will also be important so that in the future, it can bring information that will help this person enter the job market. With our technology, we can detect which skills this individual will develop that will overcome their shortcomings, to help you find the best job position within the companies.

The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and our global community through neuroscience research and information technology. And we will focus on that. We believe that giving these individuals the ability to use technology and studying their development through neuroscience data; we will be able to shorten the time they spend inside classrooms, bringing them much more knowledge.

According to UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, “Girls and women of all ages with any form of disability are generally among the more vulnerable and marginalized of society”,“Less than 5 percent of children and young persons with disabilities have access to education and training; and girls and young women face significant barriers to participating in social life and development”,“The global literacy rate for adults with disabilities is as low as 3 percent,and 1 percent for women”,“People with disabilities in general face difficulties in entering the open labor market, but,seen from a gender perspective,men with disabilities are almost twice as likely to have jobs than women with disabilities."
We understand that Key2enable’s solutions will not end that. But we can be one of these possibilities. We will focus on the education process of these girls and their abilities. When they grow up, they will be economically sustainable and participate in the daily life of their families. We know that the female brain has more connections between the two hemispheres than the male brain. And we want to create tasks and activities using artificial intelligence based on this breakthrough to take advantage of the difference that makes women so powerful. It is well known that people with physical and motor impairments with cognitive stimulation tend to focus on specific areas of knowledge and become specialists. Why not develop this genius ability to bring them a more prosperous future? We intend to do that if we win this Prize.

With strategic partnerships with a deep understanding of the future of work, we are exchanging data with the first platform to apply a skills-based match of work opportunities. Demands for skills will be very common in the near future. Using matching algorithms and machine learning, we will be able to match the skills of each user to find opportunities for disabled people.

We understand that when talking about data science and artificial intelligence, it is important to discuss these issues with a broader perspective, not only considering the aspects of technical qualification and methods for the application of technologies but also issues related to ethics and social responsibility. Companies and the professionals involved. Our Startup is very attentive to the general data protection law, and we understand that collecting data on the development of the person with disabilities to improve their daily activities is a very important milestone in the life of this individual, as well as his family and in the community in which he lives. These data will be collected according to the law and with the agreement of their relatives.