Today, Explained What if you could talk without speaking?
Jul 7, 2022
Jonathan Mowens, a freelance science journalist, discusses a groundbreaking study on enabling fully paralyzed individuals to communicate through thought. Meghana Keshavan, a biotech reporter, comments on the controversial background of the scientists involved. The conversation dives into innovative communication techniques, highlighting advanced brain signaling tech for ALS patients. They also tackle the fascinating realm of non-verbal communication, emphasizing the importance of body language and the challenges of ethical implications in this revolutionary field.
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Thought-Controlled Communication
- A German man with ALS used his thoughts to ask his wife for soup.
- This was achieved through a brain implant that translated brain activity into musical notes.
ALS Patient's Communication
- The patient in the story has ALS and lost motor control but could communicate with his eyes.
- His family helped devise a system with colored columns and letters to spell words.
Brain Implant Procedure
- Scientists Niels Birbaumer and Ujwal Chaudhary implanted chips with microelectrodes into the patient's brain.
- Initial attempts to trigger electrical activity through imagined movements failed.