A team of neuroscientists, brain surgeons, and engineers has developed a brain implant capable of converting thoughts into speech. The hope is that this technology will one day allow individuals who are unable to speak due to neurological conditions to communicate again.
According to a report from Saeed News, citing Digiato, many patients suffer from debilitating motor disorders, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or Locked-In Syndrome, which impair their ability to speak. Current communication devices are often slow and cumbersome. The new invention by researchers at Duke University consists of a flexible plastic piece the size of a postage stamp, embedded with 256 tiny brain sensors. The researchers have tested their invention on four patients.
To test the device, the researchers temporarily implanted it in patients with Parkinson's disease or cancer who were undergoing brain surgery. This presented challenges, as they needed to implant the device quickly without interfering with the surgical procedures. According to the researchers, they had only 15 minutes during surgery to implant the device.
In the study, patients were asked to repeat specific sounds. As they did, the device synchronized the movement of around 100 muscles in the lips, tongue, jaw, and larynx. It also recorded the speech motor cortex activity of each patient, allowing the researchers, with the help of an AI system, to enable the patients to produce meaningful sounds.
The researchers identified and analyzed the sounds produced in the patients’ brains. Neural and clinical speech data were also collected. Ultimately, they found that brain activity was decoded with an average accuracy of 40%, with some sounds being decoded with up to 84% accuracy.
The researchers are now working on making this device wireless, so users can move freely while using it, without being dependent on an electrical outlet. These innovations not only improve our understanding of the brain but also enhance the quality of life for those with neurological and speech disorders.
However, since brain implants have the potential to influence brain function, ethical, privacy, and safety concerns must also be considered. To ensure the safety and effectiveness of these devices, as well as address ethical issues, researchers and medical professionals are continually refining and improving the technology.
