AI wearable helps mute speak.
UCLA engineers created a small wearable device to help people with speech problems, like those after laryngeal cancer surgery. The device, placed on the throat, uses muscle signals to produce accurate speech, nearly 95% precise. It’s made of silicone and magnet layers, sensing muscle motion and converting it into electrical signals through a machine-learning algorithm. This generates speech via a motor. The device is tiny, lightweight (7 grams), and thin (0.06 inches), comfortably attached with biocompatible tape. Unlike other solutions, it’s non-intrusive, aiding in treatment or recovery. Testing on healthy people showed accurate speech matching without sound. Future plans include expanding the device’s vocabulary and trials with people having speech disorders, potentially helping millions.
