Meet the Neuroscientist Translating Brain Activity Into Speech

#38 in our top science stories of 2019.

By Jonathon Keats
Dec 19, 2019 8:00 PM
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Neurosurgeon Edward Chang figured out how to use electrodes (inset) and artificial intelligence to read brain activity — and translate it into speech. (Credit: Cindy Chew/UCSF)

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The average human speaks at a rate of up to 150 words per minute, making spoken conversation one of the most effective ways to communicate. “We take for granted how effortless it is to convey so much information in such a short amount of time,” says Edward Chang, a neurosurgeon at the University of California, San Francisco. “That is, until you lose this ability from an injury.” 

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