Human agency
Technology should support people’s decisions and preserve their ability to choose.
Human-centered research & engineering
Intelligence.
In service
of life.
We explore how AI can help people live, connect, and navigate the world—with privacy and human agency at the foundation.
SUBSTRATE / A FOUNDATION FOR HUMAN POSSIBILITY01—04
Our starting point
Lives come first. Everything we build follows.
Featured paper / Zenodo
Breakthrough Research
01 / Research directions
Real human needs.
Purposeful exploration.
Four areas of inquiry. One shared commitment to making technology more useful, accessible, and accountable to the people it serves.
01
Oncology research
Substrate Oncology
Exploring responsible AI in service of people affected by cancer.
02Human connection
Communication Bridge
Exploring technology that supports clearer, more accessible communication.
03Hearing & accessibility
Bridge Ear
Investigating more accessible ways to support everyday listening.
04Applied intelligence
AI Research
Connecting thoughtful AI research with the realities of human life.
02 / What guides us
The human is
never an afterthought.
Lives come first is more than a line beneath our name. It is the question behind our work: does this serve the person?
Privacy by design
Start with what people need. Minimize what systems need to know about them.
Meaningful access
Consider affordability, accessibility, and the everyday conditions in which technology is used.
Responsible progress
Ask hard questions, examine limitations, and earn trust through careful evaluation.
03 / Build with purpose
Good questions deserve
good company.
We welcome conversations with researchers, clinicians, engineers, accessibility advocates, and mission-aligned organizations.
Let’s collaborate