Paralyzed Woman Able To 'Speak' Through Digital Avatar In World First 14
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: A severely paralyzed woman has been able to speak through an avatar using technology that translated her brain signals into speech and facial expressions. The latest technology uses tiny electrodes implanted on the surface of the brain to detect electrical activity in the part of the brain that controls speech and face movements. These signals are translated directly into a digital avatar's speech and facial expressions including smiling, frowning or surprise. The patient, a 47-year-old woman, Ann, has been severely paralyzed since suffering a brainstem stroke more than 18 years ago. She cannot speak or type and normally communicates using movement-tracking technology that allows her to slowly select letters at up to 14 words a minute. She hopes the avatar technology could enable her to work as a counsellor in future.
The team implanted a paper-thin rectangle of 253 electrodes on to the surface of Ann's brain over a region critical for speech. The electrodes intercepted the brain signals that, if not for the stroke, would have controlled muscles in her tongue, jaw, larynx and face. After implantation, Ann worked with the team to train the system's AI algorithm to detect her unique brain signals for various speech sounds by repeating different phrases repeatedly. The computer learned 39 distinctive sounds and a Chat GPT-style language model was used to translate the signals into intelligible sentences. This was then used to control an avatar with a voice personalized to sound like Ann's voice before the injury, based on a recording of her speaking at her wedding.
The technology was not perfect, decoding words incorrectly 28% of the time in a test run involving more than 500 phrases, and it generated brain-to-text at a rate of 78 words a minute, compared with the 110-150 words typically spoken in natural conversation. However, scientists said the latest advances in accuracy, speed and sophistication suggest the technology is now at a point of being practically useful for patients. A crucial next step is to create a wireless version of the BCI that could be implanted beneath the skull. The findings have been published in the journal Nature.
The team implanted a paper-thin rectangle of 253 electrodes on to the surface of Ann's brain over a region critical for speech. The electrodes intercepted the brain signals that, if not for the stroke, would have controlled muscles in her tongue, jaw, larynx and face. After implantation, Ann worked with the team to train the system's AI algorithm to detect her unique brain signals for various speech sounds by repeating different phrases repeatedly. The computer learned 39 distinctive sounds and a Chat GPT-style language model was used to translate the signals into intelligible sentences. This was then used to control an avatar with a voice personalized to sound like Ann's voice before the injury, based on a recording of her speaking at her wedding.
The technology was not perfect, decoding words incorrectly 28% of the time in a test run involving more than 500 phrases, and it generated brain-to-text at a rate of 78 words a minute, compared with the 110-150 words typically spoken in natural conversation. However, scientists said the latest advances in accuracy, speed and sophistication suggest the technology is now at a point of being practically useful for patients. A crucial next step is to create a wireless version of the BCI that could be implanted beneath the skull. The findings have been published in the journal Nature.
Does she own the IP to her voice and any work from (Score:3, Interesting)
Does she own the IP to her voice and any work from it? Or does some eula make her give up that right?
Re:Does she own the IP to her voice and any work f (Score:5, Interesting)
Some governments have required people to have brain implants removed if the company behind them stops supporting them. [technologyreview.com]
Hard to have worries over IP if there's no guarantee that you'll even be able to use the thing for longer than the 2 years it will take for the company to drop support.
Here's hoping that the tech takes off and that the wireless version, (or perhaps an external-to-the-body version), is completed soon.
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This is wonderful tech, but I'd be more worried about the long term viability of this thing.
This is an important question. However, that question is more important for society and future patients. For that one lady who experienced a short burst of slow, 72% accuracy speech after not hearing her voice for two decades, that moment is likely worth it regard of what lies in the future.
Words per minute (Score:4, Insightful)
It's unfair to compare this technology to the usual speed of speech for normally abled people. Compare it to the one word per approximately four minutes she's used to.
Robocop 2 (Score:2)
counseling (Score:2)
Will this work for the "locked in"? (Score:4, Interesting)
If this can help those people communicate, we need to be sticking electrodes on every coma patient.
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Welcome to the world of ALS.
First words were (Score:1, Interesting)
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Scalzi (Score:2)
For those interested in a vision of a world with an advanced version of this technology, read Scalzi's "Lock-In" series of books.