Wednesday, January 21, 2009

http://www.theaudeo.com/

The "AUDEO" will give me
the thing I need more than
anything else; the ability
to talk to my children.

Dave (age 41, diagnosed with ALS in 2004)

The Audeo is being developed to create a human-computer interface for communication without the need of physical motor control or speech production. Using signal processing, unpronounced speech representing the thought of the mind can be translated from intercepted neurological signals.

Do you think the Audeo could help you or somebody you know? If so, click here.

By interfacing near the source of vocal production, the Audeo has the potential to restore communication to people who are unable to speak. The proposed solution is a featherweight wireless device resting over the vocal cords capable of transmitting neurological information from the brain. Using data analysis, this information can be processed into synthesized speech or a menu selection capable of conveying the basic necessities of human life.

Current Applications of the Audeo:

Speech – After a recent breakthrough, we have developed a method to exceed individual words and have shown the ability to produce continuous speech with high accuracy from the neurological signals.

Wheelchair Control – By incorporating the Audeo with additional hardware, we have successfully controlled a wheelchair without the need of physical movement. To see the wheelchair in action, watch the wheelchair demonstration.

If you are a researcher, scientist, or interested in more information about the technology behind The Audeo, please sign up here. We will send you more information or demonstration when it becomes available.

This technology is being developed in collaboration with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and the University of Illinois and supported by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and National Instruments.