New brain-computer interface system enables faster, more natural conversation.
New brain-computer interface system enables faster, more natural conversation.
Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have developed an investigational brain-computer interface that holds promise for restoring the ability to hold real-time conversations to people who have lost the ability to speak due to neurological conditions.
In a new study published in the scientific journal Nature, the researchers demonstrate how this new technology can instantaneously translate brain activity into voice as a person tries to speak — effectively creating a digital vocal tract with no detectable delay.
The system allowed the study participant, who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), to “speak” through a computer with his family in real time, change his intonation and “sing” simple melodies.
Read more at University of California - Davis Health
Image: The participant is enrolled in the BrainGate2 clinical trial at UC Davis Health. His ability to communicate through a computer has been made possible with an investigational brain-computer interface (BCI). It consists of four microelectrode arrays surgically implanted into the region of the brain responsible for producing speech. These devices record the activity of neurons in the brain and send it to computers that interpret the signals to reconstruct voice. (Credit: UC Davis Health)
