Our Story

Autonomous living
personalities


Origin Story

My name is Spero Koulouras and I was diagnosed with ALS in the fall of 2019. What led up to the diagnosis? I blame it on softball. As a coach, my throws started losing their zip. Flyballs hit in practice weren’t traveling as far. Infielders begged me to hit grounders harder. I thought it was carpal tunnel, my wrists cramped up and grip pressure dropped. After about six months of doctor visits and tests, the diagnosis was confirmed. And yes, I am kidding about the blame, but not the symptoms.

Understanding the road in front of me, it was only natural to explore how technology could be applied to make the path easier. Eye tracking technology, Voice and Message banking, robotic feeding arms, and all sorts of other cool stuff is out there. At exorbitant cost. The conspiracy theorist in me blames the Legal/Medical Insurance mafia for grossly distorting prices, and forcing patients into dependency on foundation grants for expensive durable medical equipment. Instead of dumping tens/hundreds of thousands of dollars into this legacy equipment, I made a decision to build something better and found a team at UC San Diego ready to invent.

Finn Biggs, a Computational Physics major, was approached with a proposition to create a California Benefit Corporation. He signed up and brought in Michael Fierro to form the founding technical team. The initial prototypes were demonstrated in October 2022 at the ALS Association San Diego Walk. The company has established a goal of raising enough funding from foundations to give away products to 1000 disabled individuals in 2024.

I am a Physics graduate from UC San Diego. I love to play music, draw, and cook. I have been a math and science aficionado since I was young. Studying physics helps me to answer the questions I have about how this wild world fits together. I feel called to create something tangible, so AULI.TECH is my plan for making a direct contribution to the betterment of society. In the future, I would like to design software and hardware that makes the world a better place, and eases the struggles of humanity to achieve environmental and social goals.

I am a Maths/CS graduate from UC San Diego. I’ve always had a passion for finding unique and abstract ways to approach complex problems, which naturally drew me to the infinite versatility of computation and theory. But as the world becomes more and more inseparable from our quickly developing technologies, it becomes paramount that people of all abilities are able to interface with it reliably. As a member of the AULI.TECH team, I am able to apply the skills I’ve acquired to develop new ways of interacting with technology and help to bring about a more accessible world.

My mom taught blind children. As an undergraduate in Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan, my first tech job was the implementation of assistive switches as keyboard alternatives on the Apple II computer in 1981. At Hewlett-Packard, the application of text-to-speech, voice recognition and telecom technologies over 14 years provided the training to spend the next 20+ years at startups developing security, automation and AI products, leading engineering teams and as CEO. My experience includes development of international telecom standards, patents in mobile signaling and mesh networking, managing multinational development and manufacturing, raising venture capital and growing teams. Diagnosed with ALS in 2019, my bucket list is short. With AULI.TECH, I’m returning to my roots and working to improve the quality of life for impaired individuals through affordable application of AI and Robotics.

A mathematics education set me on a career course of solving problems, using deep analysis of data to design systematic solutions for complex business challenges. As a Complex Program Manager (CPM) at HP, IBM Hybrid Cloud and HCL Technologies for over 20 years, my clients included Cisco, Nokia-Siemens, O2 (UK), Viasat, and Telmex as well as numerous clients in manufacturing, financial services and consumer products. In 2019, however, I reached my limit of unfulfilling data management transformations for large corporations, without seeing tangible impact on quality of life for humanity. I began to focus on how to meaningfully apply data, analytics, AI and technology to impact the quality of patient care. The opportunity to work with Spero (again!) and the AULI.TECH team to provide innovative solutions and modernize assistive technology for people battling health challenges brings renewed passion for solving problems that actually matter.

As an experienced product leader with a passion for innovation and emerging technologies, I’ve always been guided by the vision of creating ‘the world we want’. This mantra has driven me throughout my adventurous career, marked by 10 issued patents with a strong mobile communications background, to my current role at Autonomous Living Technologies. At AULI.TECH, my mission is both personal and professional, rooted in my personal experiences with loved ones who have disabilities. I strive to infuse each project with empathy and practical insight, enhancing the affordability, attainability, availability, and adaptiveness of the assistive technologies we develop. Join us on our journey to help make the world a better place for individuals with disabilities.

I am a 2022 graduate of UC San Diego with a degree in Urban Planning, passionate about creating solutions that make a positive impact on society, with a focus on sustainability and community engagement. I have worked on a variety of projects in academia, with a particular emphasis on disability in the built environment. In addition to my academic work, I have been involved in various volunteer and community initiatives. I have a deep commitment to giving back and have contributed my time and energy to causes such as CalPIRG. As I embark on my career, I am excited to continue pursuing my passion for creating positive change in the world. With a dedication to social responsibility, I hope to make a real difference with Assistive Technology.