'Mind-reading machine' can convert thoughts into speech
A mind reading machine is a step closer to reality after scientists discovered a way of translating people's thoughts into words.
一部頭腦閱讀機又一步更接近現實，在科學家發現一種方法轉化人們的思想成為字詞後。
By Richard Alleyne, Science Correspondent
Published: 5:30AM BST 08 Sep 2010
Photo: GETTY IMAGESResearchers have been able to translate brain signals into speech using sensors attached to the surface of the brain for the first time.
研究人員已第一次能夠利用連接到大腦表面的傳感器，將大腦信號轉換成 言詞。
The breakthrough, which is up to 90 per cent accurate, offers a way to communicate for paralysed patients who cannot speak and could eventually lead to being able to read anyone thoughts.
這一高達90%準確的突破，提供一種溝通方法給不能講的癱瘓病人，及可能最終導致能夠讀取任何人的想法。
"We were beside ourselves with excitement when it started working," said Professor Bradley Greger, a bioengineer at Utah University who led the team of researchers.
“當它開始工作，我們是在自己的興奮身邊。”布雷德利格雷格教授說，美國猶他州大學的一位生物工程師領導研究小組的。
"It was just one of the moments when everything came together.
“它只是其中一個時刻每一樣東西都發揮己長。
"We have been able to decode spoken words using only signals from the brain with a device that has promise for long-term use in paralysed patients who cannot now speak.
“我們已經能夠解碼說出的話，只使用來自腦內的信號，以一項設備很有希望在現在不能說話的癱瘓患者作長期使用。
"I would call it brain reading and we hope that in two or three years it will be available for use for paralysed patients."
“我會稱之為腦讀，和我們希望在兩三年內，它將可提供使用給癱瘓病人。”
The experimental breakthrough came when the team attached two button sized grids of 16 tiny electrodes to the speech centres of the brain of an epileptic patient. The sensors were attached to the surface of the brain The patient had had part of his skull removed for another operation to treat his condition.
實驗取得突破當科研隊附上兩顆按鈕，大小是16個微小電極的網格在腦癇患者的腦說話中心。這些傳感器被連接到大腦表面，病人要作另一次手術移除部分頭骨以治療他的病情。
Using the electrodes, the scientists recorded brain signals in a computer as the patient repeatedly read each of 10 words that might be useful to a paralysed person: yes, no, hot, cold, hungry, thirsty, hello, goodbye, more and less.
使用電極，科學家在電腦上記錄大腦的信號，當病人重覆讀取10個單詞，那對一個癱瘓的人可能是有用的：是、不、熱、冷、餓、渴、你好、再見、多些和少些。
Then they got him to repeat the words to the computer and it was able to match the brain signals for each word 76 per cent to 90 per cent of the time. The computer picked up the patinet's brain waves as he talked and did not use any voice recognition software.
然後他們令他對電腦重覆字詞，和它能夠給每個單詞配對大腦信號在76%至90%的時間。電腦挑起病人的腦電波，當他說話而沒有使用任何語音識別軟件時。
Because just thinking a word – and not saying it – is thought to produce the same brain signals, Prof Greger and his team believe that soon they will be able to have translation device and voice box that repeats the word you are thinking.
What is more, the brains of people who are paralysed are often healthy and produce the same signals as those in able bodied people – it is just they are blocked by injury from reaching the muscle.
The researchers said the method needs improvement, but could lead in a few years to clinical trials on paralysed people who cannot speak due to so-called "locked-in" syndrome.
“This is proof of concept,” Prof Greger said, “We’ve proven these signals can tell you what the person is saying well above chance.
"But we need to be able to do more words with more accuracy before it is something a patient really might find useful.”
People who eventually could benefit from a wireless device that converts thoughts into computer-spoken words include those paralysed by stroke, disease and injury, Prof Greger said.
People who are now “locked in” often communicate with any movement they can make – blinking an eye or moving a hand slightly – to arduously pick letters or words from a list.
The new device would allow them freedom to speak on their own.
"Even if we can just get them 30 or 40 words that could really give them so much better quality of life," said Prof Greger.
“It doesn’t mean the problem is completely solved and we can all go home. It means it works, and we now need to refine it so that people with locked-in syndrome could really communicate.”.
The study, published in the journal of Neural Engineering, used a new kinds of nonpenetrating microelectrodes that sit on the brain without poking into it.
The first was attached to the face motor cortex, which controls facial movement and is on the top left hand side of the brain.
The second was attached to the Wernicke's area, an area just above the left ear that acts as a sort of language translator for the brain.
Because the microelectrodes do not penetrate brain matter, they are considered safe to place on speech areas of the brain – something that cannot be done with penetrating electrodes that have been used in experimental devices to help paralysed people control a computer cursor or an artificial arm.
The researchers were most accurate – 85 per cent – in distinguishing brain signals for one word from those for another when they used signals recorded from the facial motor cortex.
They were less accurate – 76 per cent – when using signals from Wernicke’s area.
Last year, Prof Greger and colleagues published a study showing electrodes could “read” brain signals controlling arm movements.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/7987821/Mind-reading-machine-can-convert-thoughts-into-speech.html
美研發"心智閱讀機" 思維信號可轉化成語音
2010年09月09日08:35
來源：中國新聞社
據《每日電訊報》報道，美國科研人員日前開發出一款能夠“讀出人類思維”的機器，在科學家找到一種方式可以將人類思維翻譯成文字的后，“心智閱讀機”的誕生正趨於現實。
報道稱，研究人員已經能夠使用大腦表面的傳感器將大腦發出的信號轉化成語音信號。這一技術突破的准確性達到90%，將為那些無法發聲的癱瘓病人提供一種溝通方式。
負責此次科研項目的美國猶他州生物工程學教授布拉德利·格雷格表示，當這種技術最終開始工作時，所有參與研究的人都異常興奮。他說：“我們已經能夠通過大腦傳遞出的信號來解碼其中所包含的文字意義。”
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