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About Topic In Short: |
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Who: Stanford University researchers. |
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What: A thought-to-text communication system that
"speaks" the thoughts using a brain-computer interface (BCI). |
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How: Using intracortical microelectrode arrays to
capture high-resolution recordings of its users' brain activity associated
with speech. |
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Introduction:
Over the
years, research in neuroscience has enabled experts to create amazing
brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to help individuals with disabilities regain
their lost communication abilities. One such remarkable invention is the
"thought-to-text communication system that 'speaks' the thoughts"
developed by researchers at Stanford University. In this article, we will take
a closer look at the process of creating this ground-breaking system, who it
was developed for, why it was developed, and what experts say about it.
The Development of a Neuroprosthesis:
The team at
Stanford University developed a neuroprosthesis, a brain-computer interface
that captures high-resolution recordings of its user's brain activity
associated with speech. The system consists of intracortical microelectrode
arrays that record the neural activity of the speech-related cortical areas in
the brain.
Testing the Neuroprosthesis:
To test the
neuroprosthesis, the team worked with an individual who suffered from
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which made it impossible to generate
intelligible speech. The neuroprosthesis enabled the subject to think of words,
and the system decoded those words at a rate of 62 words per minute. The
accuracy of the system was measured at 9.1% for a limited 50-word vocabulary
and increased to 23.8% for a 125,000-word vocabulary, which makes it
usable.
The Creation of the Thought-to-Text Communication System:
The Stanford
team used the intracortical microelectrode arrays to capture the neural
activity of speech-related areas in the brain. A specially trained recurrent
neural network (RNN) decodes the recorded neural activity, enabling the system
to recognize the words that the subject is thinking. This is how the
thought-to-text communication system works.
Who is the Thought-to-Text Communication System Developed for?
The system
was initially developed for individuals who have lost their ability to speak
due to illnesses such as ALS, Parkinson's disease, or cerebral palsy. It can
help them regain their lost communication abilities by enabling them to
"speak" their thoughts.
Why was the Thought-to-Text Communication System Developed?
The
thought-to-text communication system was developed to help individuals with
speech impairments communicate their thoughts effectively. The system can be
useful not only for those with communication impairments but also for individuals
who find it difficult to speak in certain situations, such as in noisy
environments.
Thus Speak Authors/Experts:
The
development of the thought-to-text communication system is a remarkable
breakthrough in neuroscience. Experts in the field have commented on the
system's accuracy and speed, which makes it usable for individuals with speech
impairments. According to Professor Krishna Shenoy, who co-authored the paper,
"Our goal is to develop a clinically viable speech prosthetic for people who
have lost the ability to speak. Such a prosthetic could be transformative for
people who currently cannot communicate."
Image
Gallery
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All Images Credit: from References/Resources
sites [Internet] |
Hashtag/Keyword/Labels:
thought-to-text communication, brain-computer interface, neural
activity, speech, neuroprosthesis.
References/Resources:
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