A new wearable device, named the “intelligent throat” system, has been designed to help stroke patients with dysarthria regain natural and fluent communication. Developed by an international team of researchers, this system combines advanced sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) to process silent speech and emotional cues in real time.
The intelligent throat system features textile strain sensors that detect vibrations from throat muscles and carotid pulse signal monitors. It also uses large language models for speech processing. This innovative device translates silent speech into coherent, delay-free sentences, incorporating emotional and contextual nuances.
In tests on five dysarthria patients, the system achieved a 4.2% word error rate and a 2.9% sentence error rate, significantly outperforming existing silent speech systems. User satisfaction also increased by 55%, demonstrating the device’s capability to provide personalized, expressive communication.
The wearable device is designed with a choker embedded with graphene-based strain sensors, ensuring high sensitivity and comfort for daily use. A built-in wireless module ensures continuous data transmission with minimal energy consumption, allowing for all-day functionality. LLM agents within the system analyze speech tokens and emotional signals, refining and expanding sentences to match the user’s intended meaning.
This personalized approach enables dynamic, real-time expression, bridging the gap between patient communication needs and technological capabilities. The researchers also see potential applications for the device in supporting other neurological conditions like ALS and Parkinson’s, as well as multilingual adaptations.
The team is now working on miniaturizing the device and integrating it into edge-computing frameworks to improve its usability.
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