Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco successfully developed a new technology that allows patients with severe paralysis communicate through a computer, refered to as “speech neuroprosthesis”. This technology includes an electrode device (brain implant) placed over the area of the brain that normally controls speech, which decodes neurological signals to full words and sentences using a computer algorithm. The study was performed on a man who was paralyzed and lost the ability to speak due to a stroke at the age of 20. He was placed in front a screen that asked questions and the technology translated his brain activity and displayed his responses under the question. UCSF has a video of the man using the device during the study. After “Good morning” was projected, “Hello,” comes the answer, a few seconds later, also typed as text across the screen. He ended up helping the team create a 50 word vocabulary, which later expanded to sentences. Based on the study, the median rate is 15.2 words per minute, with a median word error rate of 25.6% and 74.4% accuracy. So far, the researchers detected a best of 93% accuracy at 18 words per minute.

Unlike previous technologies, were patients communicated by moving the arm or hand to enable typing on a device, the research team is translating signals intending to control muscles of the vocal system for speaking words and sentences. Additionally, the device does not require daily recalibration before use unlike previous brain-computer interface technologies.

Without a doubt, this device is very impactful in the biotechnology field. To the team’s knowledge, this was the first successful demonstration of direct translation of words/sentences from a paralyzed subject’s cortical activity. This impactful technology has shown evidence that it can restore communication for the vocally disabled and even serve as a basis for future innovations in Neuroprosthetics. The computer algorithm uses forms of AI (artificial intelligence), another major growing field of study, to learn more about the subject and identify words they are trying to say, along with expanding beyond the vocabulary of 50 words they have so far. This makes the device have high potential to be successful in future studies. Although it is not a permanent solution, the device is a very stable technical milestone.

Personally, I found this research intriguing because I am planning to major in biotechnology and get involved in undergraduate research at PSU. Initially, I was very concerned when I read that researchers placed an array of high-density electrodes on a man’s brain. However, based on the success of the experiment, I felt much more confident in the technology. I believe there is still a long way to go before granting access of this device to the general public of people who are vocally handicapped. There is still extensive research to conduct, especially on the long term effects of this hardware. Moreover, this neuroprosthetic innovation has the ability to change millions of lives in the future by allowing people who cannot communicate naturally to be able to “speak” again.

“This trial is just the beginning. This is the very first participant that’s been in the trial, and the first set of experiments that were part of this trial to show that this is possible.”

 

Works Cited:

Fox, Maggie. “Brain Implant Helps Man ‘Speak’ through a Computer.” CNN, Cable News Network, 15 July 2021, www.cnn.com/2021/07/15/health/man-speech-implant/index.html.

UCSFPublicAffairs. “‘Neuroprosthesis’ Restores Words to Man with Paralysis.” YouTube, YouTube, 14 July 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GMcf1fXdW8.