Friday, November 16, 2007

Speech Prosthesis Project: Talking Directly with the Brain

Filed under: Neurology

Boston University researchers, working with Neural Signals Inc., a company involved in developing brain interface systems, believe they perfected a technique that allows them to talk to a completely paralyzed man by directly reading his Broca's area, a part of the brain responsible for speech production.

Electrodes have been implanted in the brain of Eric Ramsay, who has been "locked in" - conscious but paralysed - since a car crash eight years ago.

These have been recording pulses in areas of the brain involved in speech.

Now, New Scientist magazine reports, they are to use the signals he generates to drive speech software.

Although the data is still being analysed, researchers at Boston University believe they can correctly identify the sound Mr Ramsay's brain is imagining some 80% of the time.

In the next few weeks, a computer will start the task of translating his thoughts into sounds.

More from the BBC...

Abstract of New Scientist article...

Neural Signals...

Speech Prosthesis Project official site...

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