Berkeley: Researchers at the University of California have developed an experimental AI-powered device capable of translating thoughts into speech almost instantaneously. The device, implanted in the brain of a paralyzed woman, uses a neural interface to connect brain regions with computers, offering individuals who have lost their ability to communicate a new form of speech restoration.

According to Qatar News Agency, previously, the research team employed a brain-computer interface to decode the patient’s thoughts and convert them into speech. However, the process faced an 8-second delay between the patient’s thought and the generation of sentences by the system’s synthetic voice, limiting conversational flow. The newly developed system reduces this delay to just 80 milliseconds, significantly enhancing communication.

Lead researcher Gopala Anumanchipalli explained that their novel streaming approach converts brain signals into personalized sound in real-time, within a second of the intent to speak. This breakthrough has the potential to greatly improve the lives of individuals suffering from vocal cord paralysis.