Life can be cruel to some people, sometimes with many ailments and disorders, including physical and mental, that take the flair away from life. A stroke is one such hit from life that can take away the entire flavour of living in this world as a stroke-hit patient cannot move. Depending on the area of the stroke, it can make a patient bereaved of speaking.
As per the World Stroke Organisation data, every 25 adults out of 100 will suffer from stroke throughout their lifetime. It is a severe concern for medical professionals, and they need state-of-the-art solutions to fight off this critical health issue. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a revolutionary technology system that can contribute to creating a smooth and efficient solution for paralysed patients.
With the help of AI, scientists have developed a system that can bless paralysed patients with their speaking power once again despite the stroke incident. We have successful cases where a patient can speak via a digital avatar. Let’s have a deep understanding of this milestone for tech and neuroscience.
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Ann Johnson – A Stroke Patient
A 28-year-old, Ann Johnson, got married about 20 years back with a remarkable wedding function where she happily interacted with every guest. She was a school teacher and a volleyball coach at the time of her marriage. Ann had a stroke after two years of marriage, restricting her from her daily chores. The major invasion from the stroke was on her speech, taking her speaking power away from her.
Ann was under treatment with a technological system connected to her brain. The tech gadget converted her brain signals, but due to low speed and accuracy, it was not reliable. The family searched for a robust and upgraded artificial solution for Ann as they had no hope with the natural treatment.
A tech system was under progress for a few years, namely, Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). This system is the pioneer of connecting the brain and its signals to a computer-operated device that can decode the neurological signals to a computer language. Ann Johnson has become able to speak again with the help of this technology.
Related: AI Revolution: Paralysed Woman ‘Speaks’ via Digital Avatar
AI Helps a Stroke Patient Speak Again
As mentioned above, BCI helped Ann Johnson speak again like she used to speak. It is a milestone for AI and other innovative technologies connected to AI. A group of scientists from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) took charge of the project and tried their best to devise a fine solution for this problem.
Edward Chang is the head of the team for the project. He is ambitious to bring back the natural power of human beings that is lost due to natural events. He considers AI their best companion due to its marvellous productivity and capabilities. This technology will help patients recover their speech and emotions by directly connecting their brains to computers.
Edward Chang initiated the experiment by connecting Ann’s brain with tiny electrodes for capturing brain signals. The signals were reflected on computer devices, assessing her speech and facial expressions. An AI-powered digital avatar that resembled Ann Johnson and trained with her recorded voice spoke the exact words going through Ann’s brain.
Brain-Computer Interface – A Milestone for Tech and Neuroscience
BCI can be considered as an illusion turned reality as it has the potential to scan and inform us about the thinking of the human brain. What connects the human brain with a computer for decoding the brain signals and thinking patterns is the Brain-Computer Interface technology. BCI functions as a translator between a human brain and technology, making it a top-notch technology to help patients with neuro ailments.
BCI has plenty of applications that elevate its essence in technology and neuroscience. The regaining of speech of a stroke patient via BCI is just the beginning, paving the way for future advancements in the field. Here are a few benefits of BCI in tech and neuroscience.
#1. BCI for Technology
It is the best technology to take the tech game to the next level. With BCI technology, users can control software or tech devices with their brains directly without using their hands. This advancement will prove to be the most efficient way of carrying out tech-related tasks.
BCI can play a pivotal role in levelling modern technologies, like Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AG). With no distance between human brains and tech gadgets, you can control characters by thinking about it, removing the need for VR controllers.
Furthermore, BCI is an assistive technology for specially-abled individuals. From communication to operating devices, BCI will bring meaning to the lives of particular patients. As BCI understands the neurological aspects of human brains, it can develop a lucrative product design and market research for better business operation.
#2. BCI for Neuroscience
This technology connects directly to the human brain, offering a deep insight into the thinking patterns and emotions of the person. It is the best amplification in the neuroscience industry that can pave the path to treating various brain diseases.
For instance, different ailments occur in various neural processes and understanding their pattern can help surgeons diagnose them at their earlier stage and treat them accordingly.
In essence, BCI is a breakthrough technology that can revolutionise the healthcare industry. You can explore the role of AI in healthcare by visiting here. It must be tackled in compliance with ethical regulations of humans to protect individuals’ privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is AI Helping Neuroscience?
AI significantly supports neuroscience in many ways, including analysis of neural processes, connecting brain signals to technological devices, disease diagnosis, and much more. It is a robust technology that can help in drug discovery acceleration and improved neuroimaging systems.
Is AI-Assisted Speech Recovery Widely Accessible?
AI-driven speech recovery is an evolving technology field, and it will take some time to become accessible on a big scale. At the moment, it is not available for many patients as the recent event of a woman recovering her speech was the starting experiment.
How AI Helped a Paralysed Patient Speak?
BCI is a technology that works based on AI, and it helped a paralysed patient speak again after 20 years of suffering from stroke. This technology links brain signals with a computer that can be processed using a digital avatar.