Restoring fluent communication using brain signals
Engaging new cognitive and motor signals to improve communication prostheses
Using brain signals to help people with severe speech and motor impairments communicate faster and more easily.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11226538 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would use a small brain implant (an intracortical brain-computer interface) that reads neural activity tied to attempted and inner speech and turns it into text without typing. The team will adapt self-recalibrating algorithms they developed for handwriting to reduce setup and calibration time for speech decoding. They will also try to tap signals related to inner speech (thinking words without moving) to boost speed and ease of use. Work builds on prior successes that decoded attempted speech at conversational speeds and will be tested with people who have severe speech and motor impairments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with severe speech and motor impairments such as ALS who are unable to communicate by voice and who are eligible for intracortical recording approaches would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who can speak normally, those with temporary or reversible speech issues, or those unwilling or medically unable to receive a brain implant are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could enable people who cannot speak to produce text at much faster, more natural conversation-like speeds with less setup effort.
How similar studies have performed: The team previously decoded attempted speech at about 62 words per minute showing promising results, while decoding inner speech is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Henderson, Jaimie M — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Henderson, Jaimie M
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.