Paralyzed woman regains her voice
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At 30 years old in 2005, Ann had a brainstem stroke while playing volleyball. Due to the stroke, she developed locked-in syndrome, a condition that causes paralysis of voluntary muscles; it caused her to lose the ability to move and talk. Since then, she used a device to type with slight head movements to communicate with others. In 2023, researchers working with Ann demonstrated a new technology that enabled Ann to speak through a digital avatar using brain signals.
The chair of neurological surgery at UCSF, Edward Chang, and his team have been working on translating brain signals into text for a while and were successful in 2021. Ann discovered that research and wanted to work with the team. The technology consists of electrodes mapped onto the brain to intercept signals, algorithms to identify the desired words and synthesize speech, and software for the avatar to simulate the face. This research not only gave Ann her voice back but also a new purpose and hope for others with similar conditions.
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Quotes
Being a part of this study has given me a sense of purpose, I feel like I am contributing to society. It feels like I have a job again. It’s amazing I have lived this long; this study has allowed me to really live while I’m still alive!
Ann
I want patients ... to see me and know that their lives are not over now. I want to show them that disabilities don’t need to stop us or slow us down.
Ann
References
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How Artificial Intelligence Gave a Paralyzed Woman Her Voice Back
Today, Ann is helping researchers at UC San Francisco and UC Berkeley develop new brain-computer technology that could one day allow people like her to communicate more naturally through a digital avatar that resembles a person.
UCSF
