Project to enhance mental health resources and engagement for U.S. airmen and their families

Leading enterprise vocal biomarker company Sonde Health has been selected by AFWERX for a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award in the amount of $71,166, focused on utilizing Sonde Mental Fitness to address the most pressing challenges in the Department of the Air Force (DAF).

The Air Force Research Laboratory and AFWERX have partnered to streamline the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) process by accelerating the small business experience through faster proposal to award timelines, changing the pool of potential applicants by expanding opportunities to small business and eliminating bureaucratic overhead by continually implementing process improvement changes in contract execution.

The DAF began offering the Open Topic SBIR/STTR program in 2018 which expanded the range of innovations the DAF funded and on Dec. 15, 2023, Sonde Health began its journey to create and provide innovative capabilities that will strengthen the national defense of the United States of America.

“We have shown that subtle nuances in the sound of our voices can be harnessed privately and securely on the devices most people already use every day to provide a meaningful and objective indicator of mental fitness,” said Jim Harper, founder and Chief Strategy Officer for Sonde Health. “This SBIR award is a significant milestone in our journey to bring this next-generation health tracking technology to even more people, empowering them to take steps to improve mental wellness and reduce risks. We’re looking forward to continuing toward Phase II with the Air Force and being part of their ongoing efforts to enhance mental health and resilience and make a positive impact on the readiness and well-being of the people who serve our nation.”

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

About Sonde Health

Sonde Health is the global leader in voice-based health tracking and data insights. Sonde’s vocal biomarker API/SDK serves enterprise apps and devices spanning consumer wellness to population health. Leveraging a best-in-class voice data set and clinical research with over 1.2 million samples from 85,000+ individuals on four continents, Sonde uses advanced audio signal processing, speech science, and AI/machine learning to sense and analyze subtle vocal changes due to changes in a person’s physiology to provide key insights into health and well-being. www.sondehealth.com

About AFRL

The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit afresearchlab.com.

About AFWERX

As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. AFWERX employs approximately 325 military, civilian and contractor personnel at six hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed 4,697 contracts worth more than $2.6 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: afwerx.com.

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