Speech Neuroprosthetic: Brain Wave Technology Helps Paralyzed Man to Speak--How?

A paralyzed man was able to speak again because of the new brain wave technology. Speech neuroprosthetic, the recent technological discovery of the scientists, interprets the message that the man wants to convey and later post the words on a computer screen.

What difference does it make compared to other equipment?

Speech Neuroprosthetic Helps Immobilized Man to Communicate

In a study entitled "Neuroprosthesis for Decoding Speech in a Paralyzed Person with Anarthria," published on Wednesday, July 14, researchers have concluded that there is equipment that could change the game for those who cannot speak.

According to University of California, San Francisco neurosurgeon, Dr. Edward Chang, the breakthrough discovery would be a big help to the patients who have been devastated when they lost their ability to speak.

For those who have been paralyzed due to illness or accident, there are a lot of difficulties that they could face. Notably, when a normal person listens to someone who can't speak straight, some words might sound unclear. For that, scientists have come up with the idea of developing a technology focused on brain wave decoding.

The anonymous man who became the subject of the study was able to speak again, thanks to the pointer that allows him to communicate--by tapping the words on the screen.

While other tools help the patients to easily adapt to their motor movements, many of the devices could still not fill up the gap for those who have speech defects.

The Use of Brain Signals

Scientists have been reliant on the utilization of brain signals to enable an individual to speak again. Most importantly, there are cases where experts made use of a technology that allowed the patient to function through a makeshift part of the body, such as an arm and a leg.

In 2015, Loughborough University researchers made use of Augmentative and Alternate Communication (AAC) device, which made use of the breath signals. Through this, the paralyzed patient spoke once again.

So far, what Chang and his team aim to improve further is the speech neuroprosthetic which works by interpreting the brain signals. This is also responsible for detecting the movement of some body parts, like the larynx and jaw when a patient attempts to communicate.

The History of the Paralyzed Man

According to NBC News, the involved man, who chose not to be identified because of privacy reasons, was a paralysis victim of 15 years. The 30-year-old individual had previously suffered from a brain stroke that led to his condition.

When he was not able to speak, the scientists decided to explore placing electrodes on the patient's brain, specifically to the region responsible for human speech.

From the experiment, the researchers instructed the paralyzed man to speak "good" and "water." They interrogated the patient with questions, such as "Are you thirsty" and "How are you today." The man's response was translated by the machine without uttering them from his mouth.

Back in May, there was also a handwriting brain-computer interface that helped another paralyzed man to type 90 characters per minute.

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Written by Joseph Henry