Audeo Neckband Translates Your Thoughts Into Speech -3/17/08
By Terrence O'Brien
Follow link above to view YouTube clip
Who wants to waste energy speaking words when just thinking about speaking will do? Audeo -- a neckband that detects nerve impulses sent to the larynx -- will help you do just that. The techo-accessory has previously been demonstrated controlling a motorized wheel chair, but now the scientists behind the device have added "voiceless" speech to its repetoire of tricks.
Ambient Corporation demonstrated a phone conversation where one side of the discussion was not spoken but thought, then converted words and vocalized by a computer. The Audeo could prove to be a boon not only for those who have lost the ability to speak, but those who simply don't want to discuss sensitive or private matters out-loud in public, since presumably one could just think of something and evenutally send it in an e-mail or text message.
The current model only understands 150 English-language different words, and suffers from a noticeable delay between thought and vocalizations.
Don't worry about your secret thoughts getting accidentally transcribed, however, since the device requires a "level above thinking" according to Ambient co-founder Michael Callahan, to actually translate into speech. In other words, you'd have to specifically think about speaking specific sentences for them to get vocalized or transcribed.
Ambient is working on a next gen model already that will have a vocalization engine based on phonemes that will give the device an unlimited vocabulary, but will come at the cost of even slower performance. Check out the video for a demonstration.
From NewScientist (via Engadget)