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Neural Speech Milestone – Converts brain signals into near-instant speech
| A 47-year-old father with ALS has used a brain implant to communicate with roughly 92% accuracy for nearly two years, the longest-running demonstration of speech communication through a brain-computer interface. The at-home system, described in a study released yesterday, converts brain signals into near-instant speech, letting Casey Harrell communicate independently and conversationally. Four implants, each packed with 64 tiny electrodes, record activity from the brain’s speech-control region. When Harrell tries to speak, AI decodes the signals into text and a synthetic voice modeled on recordings of his pre-ALS voice. The translation happens at about 56 words per minute. Harrell had surgery in 2023; the study reports on the first 23 months following the procedure. Over time, the device has evolved into more than a speech tool, allowing Harrell to operate a computer, surf the web, send texts and emails, and enable a profanity filter when talking to his young daughter. See it in action (w/video). |
