Samsung's Impulse turns a Galaxy Watch into a haptic speech coach — One Show Gold Pencil

In April 2024, Samsung and Cheil Worldwide Spain launched Impulse, a free AI app for the Galaxy Watch that places a silent haptic speech coach on the wrist. It targets the roughly 100 million people worldwide with speech disorders and stuttering, many of whom cannot access treatment because speech therapy has barely evolved in decades and is costly or poorly covered by public health systems.

Impulse is built on rhythm therapy — the proven technique of using beats to subconsciously improve speech fluency — which Cheil called the 'missing metronome' inside people with speech impediments. An NLP-based algorithm recognizes and analyzes speech patterns, then translates words into rhythmic vibrations that guide the wearer's speech in real time, taking rhythm therapy out of the treatment room for the first time.

The app was developed and tested with 200 patients across Spain, Portugal, the US, Ghana and EMEA, and is endorsed by the Spanish Association of Speech Therapists and the Portuguese Society of Speech Therapy. Launched in English, Portuguese and Spanish, it is part of Samsung's 'Technology with Purpose' commitment alongside earlier projects like Blind Cap, Tallk and Unfear.

Impulse was honored at The One Show 2025 with a Gold Pencil in Creative Use of Artificial Intelligence and three Bronze Pencils, on top of earlier recognition at Cannes Lions, D&AD and the London International Awards. Cheil described it as democratizing rhythm therapy that until now was only accessible through doctors and therapists.