Scientists can make your inner monologue audible

[Mr Josh 3]

*

 

When you hear someone else speak, specific neurons in your brain fire. Brian Pasley and a bunch of his colleagues discovered this at the University of California, Berkeley. And not only that, but those neurons all appeared to be tuned to specific sound frequencies. So, Pasley had a thought: "If you're reading text in a newspaper or a book, you hear a voice in your own head," so why can't we decode that internal voice simply by monitoring brain activity. It's similar to the idea that led to the creation of BrainPort, which lets you "see" with your tongue. Your eyes, ears or vocal chords don't really do the heavy lifting, it's your brain. And if you can give the brain another source of input or output you might be able to train it to approximate a lost ability like speech.

Building the thought decoder began by developing an algorithm tailored to each individual subject. The participant was asked to read a passage, for instance John F. Kennedy's inaugural address, aloud to get a base reading. Then they were asked to read it to themselves. And finally, to just sit and do nothing. That allowed the team to isolate which neurons were firing when vocalizing the text. Then a visual representation of the sound waves is created and those sounds are matched with particular brain patterns. Then while the participants read silently to themselves the decoder is able to reconstruct the words based purely on what neurons are firing.

Of course, the technology is far from perfect. While the results were described as "significant" a reliable device that can translate thoughts in to words is a long way off. But the team from Berkeley is optimistic that one day they'll be able to give the gift of speech to someone who is paralyzed or "locked-in."

 

[image credit: Science Photo Library - SCIEPRO/Getty Images]

 

via Engadget

[EXCXSXE 0]

This is so ****ing cool!!! Right on!

[Voltaire 4,531]

What an amazing path they're walking. As we go further out, we also go further in. Beautiful.

 

[juicyjuicy 2,005]

if they tried this on me, the first thing they'll hear is that i'm thinking about how the scientist would look naked

[Mr Josh 3]

if they tried this on me, the first thing they'll hear is that i'm thinking about how the scientist would look naked

Hahaha

[Nein 508]

if they tried this on me, the first thing they'll hear is that i'm thinking about how the scientist would look naked

:rip:

[TRILL MONSTER 1,113]

This would be so amazing

You can hear music in class without an iPhone

[ByeBye49 161]

****

 

Nope. Everyone would know how crazy I am.

[FameHookah 4,841]

Omg amazing o.o

[GagaDragon 10]

That is really amazing, and i doubt it would be used on people for no reason. It's obviously going to be used for those that can't communicate properly using their mouths.

[RAMROD 117,123]

I mean, I am not sure I want that.

My mind is the only private thing left that I can use without fear with backlash.

It is the last sanctuary that I can have for myself.

[Sugarfall 3,723]

Wow that's so cool :omg:

[Rollercoaster 2]

Uh no. If anybody decoded my inner monologue id be arrested, put in a padded cell & later burned at the stake.

[Flippy 14,294]

Yaaaaaaas! Berkeley! Represent! :flutter:

[Didymus 34,380]

Omg this is just epic! I've been wishing for something like this for years, but never thought it would be possible :heart: