AI wearable device empowers speech for those without vocal cords.
Los Angeles: UCLA engineers unveil an AI-powered wearable device poised to transform communication for individuals without vocal cords.
The innovation promises a new era of speech for those recovering from laryngeal cancer surgeries or with dysfunctional vocal cords, offering a potential lifeline for millions facing speech difficulties.
The device, detailed in the journal Nature Communications, resembles a compact square inch and is worn externally on the throat.
Leveraging bioelectric signals from larynx muscles, it achieves remarkable speech accuracy nearing 95%.
Crafted by Jun Chen and his team, the wearable comprises self-powered sensing and actuating components, each featuring silicone and magnetically induced layers.
Utilizing magnetoelastic technology, the sensing device detects laryngeal muscle motion, converting it into electrical signals processed through a machine-learning algorithm to produce articulate speech.
The actuation component then transforms signals into audible output.
Weighing just 7 grams and measuring a mere 0.06 inches thick, the AI device is discreetly affixed to the throat with biocompatible tape, offering a non-intrusive alternative to existing solutions.
During testing among healthy individuals, the device exhibited exceptional accuracy, enabling communication through predetermined sentences without sound.