New Brain Implant Translates Your Thoughts to Natural Speech

By -
TheMerkle Elon Musk Brain Computer

Brain-computer interfaces have been around for several years now. In most cases, they are used to help people who are no longer capable of communicating on their own. University of California scientists successfully unveiled a new type of brain-computer interface. The implant in question is capable of saying what people are thinking. As such, its potential consequences will undoubtedly spark some heated debates along the way.

The new Brain Implant Won’t Hide Your Thoughts

Any sort of implant inserted in the human body will always be met with concern and scrutiny. Whether it is to facilitate day-to-day tasks or explore new boundaries, there are certain stigmas associated with body modifications. Especially if that modification affects a critical part of the human body, such as vital organs or even the brain. In recent years, the concept of brain-computer interfaces has received a lot of attention from researchers around the world.

Scientists at the University of California in San Francisco recently demonstrated their latest breakthrough. It is a new type of brain-computer interface which is powered by neural networks. It has a lot of potential, primarily because it allows paralyzed individuals to communicate in a manner very similar to natural speech. Especially people who suffer from a stroke or spinal cord injuries will benefit from this technology, assuming it will ever be used by the masses in the years to come.

To put this in perspective, the previous “record” of communication through a brain-computer interface sits at typing eight words per minute. This new interface allows users to communicate at a rate of 150 words per minute. That in itself is a vast improvement and shows there may be even further advancements to unlock in the years ahead. All of this is made possible thanks to how the technology works.

The new brain-computer interface is capable of translating brain signals into vocal tract movements. Afterward, it then synthesizes how the vocal tract movements into speech to utter speech like one would normally do. The device itself consists of numerous electrodes which need to be inserted on the brain directly. By following this approach, the researchers have effectively achieved a way to turn brain activity into natural speech. While it sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie or TV show, the technology has a working proof of concept in the real world.

One has to keep in mind scientists have attempted to decode sounds or even full words from brain activity in the past. That is a very difficult process, which is also why the University of California researchers decided to take a completely different approach. By decoding movements as a way to create sounds, their concept appears to have a lot more merit. Further research as to how one can decode speech from brain activity is still needed, and this brain-computer interface may not become part of clinical practice anytime soon.

Some people may wonder if this type of technology can ever be abused. Translating brain waves into actual speech would be rather interesting, although it can also open a proverbial Pandora’s Box in the process. While this particular research focuses on scientific implications first and foremost, it is not unlikely similar commercial-grade technology focusing on completely different aspects will come to market in a few decades from today. Any research on this scale will meet a lot of opposition, both from an ethical and political point of view.

Image(s): Shutterstock.com

The post New Brain Implant Translates Your Thoughts to Natural Speech appeared first on NullTX.



May 01, 2019 at 10:50AM

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

8 Key Tips That Every Single Cryptocurrency Trader Needs to Know

By -
Image
Even though we’re now several years into cryptocurrency becoming somewhat mainstream, although the hype has worn off, the digital, decentralized monetary format is still very much a big earner for people around the world, more commonly known as cryptocurrency traders. As a cryptocurrency trader yourself, you’ve probably witnessed the highs and lows of the market yourself, or even if you’re just getting started, you’ll look for the best way to make a start. With this in mind, today we’re going to help you get going. Below, we’re going to explore eight essential need-to-know tips to help you make the most in your cryptocurrency trading career, ensuring you have the best and most profitable experience. #1 – It’s Just Getting Started Although lots of people have heard of Bitcoin or might have seen it on the news, it’s not fully integrated into society just yet, and there’s only a real minority of people out there who actually use cryptocurrencies daily. That means there’s so much roo
Read more

Over 20% of Institutional Investors Already Exposed to Cryptos, Survey by Fidelity Reveals

By -
Image
22 percent of institutional investors already have exposure to digital assets. This is according to a new report by Fidelity Investments, one of the largest asset managers in the world. The report goes against many crypto skeptics who have been quick to state that institutions are no longer interested in digital assets. The survey polled 441 institutional investors between November last year and February this year. Interestingly, this was a time in which cryptos hit their lowest levels. Nevertheless, institutional investors remained unfazed, with interest in digital assets never really dwindling. Tom Jessop, the president of Fidelity’s digital assets division explained, “We never saw a decline in interest or sentiment during the crypto winter.” The survey revealed that 47 percent of institutional investors view digital assets as “having a place in their portfolios.” The investors, who include crypto funds, also disclosed their preferred investment methodology. 72 percent prefer to
Read more
By -
Image
INTRODUCING "DEEP WEB" THAT LIES BEYOND GOOGLE   The entire expanse of the Internet, going well beyond what you surf every day, is only the tip of a massive iceberg, the size of which is too vast to be known. Far beyond searching the Web with Google or chatting with friends on Facebook, there’s a dense maze of websites that exist out of view, though for how long that will be true is unclear. When most users log on to the Internet, they visit their bookmarked pages or use Google to search for sites that can provide the information they’re looking for. That Internet, used by billions around the world every day, is sometimes known as the  Surface Web , or the Clearnet, as coined by Tor and other anonymous online users. The Deep Web, simply put, is everything else. It’s made up of tens of billions of sites that are hidden within a universe of code — various estimates have put the Deep Web at anywhere from five to 500,000 times the size of the Surface Web.
Read more