Scientists Say They’ve Found a Way to Vocalize the “Inner Voices” of People Who Can’t Speak

New advances in brain-computer interface (BCI) technology may make speech for those who've lost the ability to do so easier than ever before.

In a new, groundbreaking study published in the journal Cell, researchers from Stanford University claimed that they have found a way to decode the "inner speech" of those who can no longer vocalize, making it far less difficult to talk with friends and family than previous BCIs that required them to exert ample effort when trying to speak.

Stanford neuroscientist and coauthor Erin Kunz told the New York Times that the idea of translating inner speech stemmed from care for subjects of BCI experiments, many of whom have diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that weaken their airway muscles and eventually make speech all but impossible.