By Amber Roman
Nov 10, 2023, 17:41 PM EST
A team of scientists has developed an innovative “speech prosthesis”, a small array of sensors that has the potential to allow people with neurological disorders to communicate through thought.
This technology promises to change the lives of those affected by diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or locked-in syndrome, who often face significant challenges in communication due to debilitating motor disorders.
The researchers, led by neuroscientist Gregory Cogan of Duke University, placed an array of tiny sensors in a space no larger than a postage stamp.
These sensors, distributed in an ultra-thin flexible plastic matrix, can detect the complex electrical signals sent to the speech muscles. Although the technology currently decodes speech at a slower than natural rate, the team is optimistic about its potential to improve this delay as they refine the prosthesis.
The key behind this advance lies in the prosthesis’s ability to record activity in the brain’s speech motor cortex as patients repeat nonsense words. This process, performed during operations on patients with movement disorders or to remove tumors, allowed the researchers to analyze how different phonemes activated unique patterns of signals. This discovery suggests that the brain dynamically adjusts speech in real time, similar to coordinating notes in an orchestra.
Duke University biomedical engineer Suseendrakumar Duraivel used machine learning algorithms to evaluate the recorded information and determine how accurately brain activity could predict future speech. Surprisingly, some sounds were predicted with 84 percent accuracy, highlighting the potential of this technology.
Despite the exciting advances, researchers acknowledge that there is still work to be done before the speech prosthesis is available to the public. Current technology has an average accuracy rate of 40 percent, and the team is looking to improve this as they continue to refine their approach.
The project has received a major grant from the National Institutes of Health to support future research and refine the technology. Future plans include the creation of wireless recording devices, freeing users from the limitations of being connected to a power source.
This development promises to be a crucial step towards a future where communication through thought becomes an accessible reality for those facing speech challenges due to medical conditions. In short, the “speech prosthesis” not only represents a significant scientific advance, but also renewed hope for inclusive communication in the world.
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