How the brain supports everyday conversations
CRCNS: Building and testing computational models of the neural basis of natural communication
This project will use recordings of brain activity during real-life conversations together with new AI methods to learn how the brain predicts and understands speech, aiming to help people with communication difficulties.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Princeton University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Princeton, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11167838 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would have your brain activity recorded with clinical ECoG electrodes while taking part in natural, everyday conversations, contributing to a large dataset of real-life speech. Researchers will use modern AI language models to link patterns in those brain signals to the words, sounds, and social cues in conversations. They will build computer models that try to mimic how the brain predicts and integrates spoken language in real time. The goal is to generate knowledge that could guide future tools to restore or support communication for people with autism, aphasia, or other speech and hearing impairments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people already undergoing clinical electrocorticography (ECoG) monitoring—typically epilepsy patients—who can consent to having conversations recorded for research.
Not a fit: People who are not candidates for invasive brain monitoring or who need immediate clinical treatment rather than research participation are unlikely to receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to brain-based communication aids or new therapies that help restore or improve speech and interaction for people with communication disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Prior intracranial EEG and brain–computer interface research has shown promise decoding speech-related signals, but this large-scale, natural-conversation dataset and AI-driven modeling approach is novel.
Where this research is happening
Princeton, UNITED STATES
- Princeton University — Princeton, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hasson, Uri — Princeton University
- Study coordinator: Hasson, Uri
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.