For the first time in the world, researchers have developed a portable, non-invasive Artificial Intelligence (AI) system that can decode silent thoughts and turn them into text.
The portable AI system, produced by the GrapheneX Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence Centre at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), could help communication for people who are unable to speak due to illness or injury, including stroke or paralysis.
It could also enable seamless communication between humans and machines, such as operating a bionic arm or a robot.
The study was selected as a highlight at this year’s NeurIPS conference, a high-level meeting that showcases world-leading research in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning.
In the study, participants silently read passages of text while wearing the portable AI system – a cap that records the brain’s electrical activity through the scalp using an Electroencephalogram (EEG).
The EEG wave is segmented into distinct units that capture specific characteristics and patterns of the human brain. This is done by an AI model called DeWave developed by the researchers. DeWave translates EEG signals into words and sentences by learning from large amounts of EEG data.
Unlike the new portable AI system, previous technology for translating brain signals into language required surgery to implant electrodes in the brain.
