Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Technology => Topic started by: smart on 22/12/2016 11:23:23

Title: How does a brain-to-text system work?
Post by: smart on 22/12/2016 11:23:23

A recent paper published in Frontiers reviewed the possibility to use Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) from neural signals to produce textual representations of imagined words: http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnins.2016.00429/full

The key concept of this brain-to-text technology is the capture of neural signals from the brain metabolic activity using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

While this system employs invasive technologies like EEG, I think the future of brain-to-text systems is to employ non-invasive technologies to process and analyze metabolic neural data from smart phones.

Any thoughts ? :)

Title: Re: How does a brain-to-text system work?
Post by: RD on 22/12/2016 13:25:06

Quote from: tkadm30 on 22/12/2016 11:23:23

... invasive technologies like EEG and fMRI ...  Any thoughts ?

In what way are EEG (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroencephalography) and fMRI (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_magnetic_resonance_imaging) "invasive" ?

Title: Re: How does a brain-to-text system work?
Post by: smart on 22/12/2016 13:35:45

Quote from: RD on 22/12/2016 13:25:06

Quote from: tkadm30 on 22/12/2016 11:23:23

... invasive technologies like EEG and fMRI ...  Any thoughts ?

In what way are EEG (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroencephalography) and fMRI (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Functional_magnetic_resonance_imaging) "invasive" ?

EEG is considered "invasive" neuroimaging technology since it requires electrodes to be installed on the head of the patient to decode neural activity. In contrast, non-invasive neuroimaging devices (fMRI) do not requires electrodes to visualize functional brain activity.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4001224/

Title: Re: How does a brain-to-text system work?
Post by: RD on 22/12/2016 14:03:53

Quote from: tkadm30 on 22/12/2016 13:35:45

EEG is considered "invasive" neuroimaging technology since it requires electrodes to be installed on the head of the patient to decode neural activity ...

Would you consider the metal-fasteners on your jeans "invasive".

Typical  EEG electrodes are similar, (they don't pierce the skin).

Title: Re: How does a brain-to-text system work?
Post by: syhprum on 22/12/2016 16:28:59

I feel clamping your head in position inside a noisy machine and subjecting you to a 4T magnetic field pretty invasive but if they want to get information from you it might be better than what interrogators traditionally do