The paralyzed woman spoke through a digital avatar. Free Technical Library News

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Paralyzed woman spoke through digital avatar

26.08.2023

A woman paralyzed after a brain stem stroke has become the first in the world to 'speak' through a digital avatar.

The new technology uses electrodes on the surface of the brain to translate brain signals into language and facial expressions. This discovery holds promise for brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that could change the lives of people who have lost the ability to speak due to injury or disease.

Until that time, patients had to use slow speech synthesizers based on eye tracking or small facial movements. This technology made natural communication more difficult. The new technology uses tiny electrodes implanted on the surface of the brain to detect electrical activity in the area responsible for speech and facial movements. These cues are translated into the language and facial expressions of the digital avatar, including smiling, frowning, and surprise.

A woman named Ann, who suffered a brain stem stroke 18 years ago, is unable to speak or write and uses motion-tracking technology to select letters slowly. She hopes that avatar technology will allow her to work as a consultant in the future. The results of the study showed that the new technology is not yet perfect, as it can incorrectly decode words in 28% of cases.

However, scientists believe that this is a significant breakthrough in the development of such interfaces that can help people with loss of movement or speech. One of the next steps is to develop a wireless version of this technology that can be implanted under the skull. Experts hope this will allow people to self-manage gadgets that have great potential to improve independence and social interaction.

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