Virtual vocal tract creates speech from brain signals

AN ARRAY OF INTRACRANIAL ELECTRODES OF THE TYPE USED TO RECORD BRAIN ACTIVITY IN THE STUDY. (UCSF)

A new device made of electrodes can detect electrical signals in the brain’s speech-producing regions and in turn create synthetic speech, a new study says. The speech was also good enough for listeners to mostly understand complex sentences, raising hopes that such a brain-computer interface may one day help those who have lost their ability to speak due to stroke or diseases such as ALS. There were a few misses, however, as volunteers understood about 70% of the words produced by the device. Study participants heard “rabbit” when the computer meant “rodent,” for instance, and missed other uncommon words. For more on the study — including a recording of what the synthetic speech sounds like — check out the story from STAT’s Sharon Begley.