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Breakthrough: Brain Implant Restores ALS Patient's Voice
A breakthrough was made in restoring speech for ALS sufferers utilising a text-to-speech brain implant. Blackrock Neurotech's advanced technology allows for quick learning and language expansion. Successful communication outcomes provide promise for improving speech capacities in disabled people.
These findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrate important advances in the use of brain-computer interfaces to enable paralysed people interact successfully.
Dr. Edward Chang, a neurosurgeon at the University of California, San Francisco, praised the findings for revealing the practical applicability of such devices in re-establishing communication after paralysis. The study highlights the potential of firms led by Elon Musk, such as Blackrock Neurotech, Medtronic, Synchron, and Neuralink, to commercialise brain-computer interfaces.
The investigations focused on two ALS patients, a man and a woman, who were both suffering from the devastating consequences of the disease, which involves nerve cell degeneration in the spinal cord and brain. The male patient, who had previously been limited to conversing at a slow pace of seven words per minute, improved dramatically after receiving the brain implant.
Blackrock Neurotech's sophisticated technology was used to implant microelectrode arrays in the patient to record brain activity associated to language and speech. The unique decoder software permitted rapid learning of rare words and quick training changes, resulting in a large extension of the patient's vocabulary to 125,000 words after only two days of use.
During encounters with researchers, the patient stated his delight in being able to speak more effectively, even inserting comedy into discussions. He expressed his joy in reconnecting with loved ones, particularly his daughter, who was too small to recall his voice before ALS impairs his speech.
The neuroprosthesis enabled the patient to speak at a rate of 32 words per minute with a remarkable word error rate of only 2.5%, exceeding the accuracy of smartphone dictation apps. The effectiveness of this technology provides hope for improving communication abilities in ALS patients, as well as in other speech-related disorders.
In a second trial with a female ALS patient, a previous neuroprosthesis allowed for successful communication via clicks for six years before becoming useless due to gradual brain atrophy. This setback emphasises the importance of continuous research into less damaged brain regions to improve the longevity and functionality of brain-computer connections.
Breakthrough achieved in restoring speech for ALS patients using a text-to-speech brain implant.
Advanced technology from Blackrock Neurotech enables rapid learning and expanded vocabulary.
Successful communication outcomes offer hope for enhancing speech capabilities in paralysed individuals.
Source: REUTERS