VA Awards SimplyHome a Grant to Develop a Voice Platform

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded SimplyHome, a provider of customized assistive technology, a Specially Adapted Housing Assistive Technology (SAHAT) Grant to develop a new platform simplifying the user experience of voice commands to control assistive technology in the homes of veterans and servicemembers.

The purpose of the SAHAT Grant Program, authorized by Congress, is to expand home modification options for Veterans who apply for VA's Specially Adapted Housing (SAH) benefit, and to augment their options for living independently in their own homes.

When using the new SimplyHome platform, veterans and servicemembers with physical disabilities will be able to issue voice commands to accomplish complex sequences of pre-customized actions. A single command such as "time to go to bed" can lock doors, set the thermostat, and turn off lights in the home.

"Empowering our veterans to control their home environments is important not only for the quality of life of the individual veteran and his/her family, but also vital to maintaining the fabric of our communities that depend on these servicemembers," said Jason Ray, vice president of business development at SimplyHome, in a statement.

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