Scientists have created a speech-restoring device after a stroke

Scientists from the University of Cambridge have created a wearable device called Revoice, capable of providing fluent, emotionally expressive communication in patients with dysarthria after a stroke. The development is a complex that combines throat muscle vibration sensors and carotid artery pulse signals with processing based on a large language model (LAM). This was reported by the journal Nature Communications (NatCom).

The system uses ultra-sensitive textile sensors that are attached to the neck to capture high-quality signals. Signal processing is coming off thanks to an artificial intelligence (AI) system that actually restores speech in time.

In trials on five patients with dysarthria (speech disorders after stroke), system agents corrected token errors and improved phrase coherence, taking into account logic and emotional coloring. The authors reported low error rates: 4.2% for words (WER) and 2.9% for suggestions (SER), as well as a 55% increase in user satisfaction. According to the developers, the platform can be used for other neurological conditions and in multilingual scenarios.

The authors emphasize that so far the study has been conducted on a small group and with a limited vocabulary, and emotions are output based on one type of signal. In the future, they plan to expand the sample of patients, add different languages, improve multimodal emotion recognition (for example, by connecting additional sensors), facilitate hardware (flexible board), transfer calculations to edge devices, and refine the mechanism for determining the end of utterance for people who prefer longer phrases.

The work also notes a potential effect on the quality of life. According to the publication, restoring communication can reduce social isolation and help rehabilitation by providing more accurate feedback between the patient and therapist.

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On January 9, BBC Science Focus magazine revealed a misunderstanding of the causes of dyslexia. Previously, scientists believed that the root of the disease lies solely in problems with phonology or vision. Modern research, in turn, demonstrates that this complex disorder is related to the interaction of genetics, the brain, perception, cognitive functions and the environment.

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