Platinum is playing an important role in a new technique which could restore the power of speech in severely epileptic patients.

Researchers at the University of Utah placed two microelectrode grids, which are formed of platinum wires and silicone, on the brain of one individual before surgery.

They then hooked the devices - which sat on the face-motor cortex and Wernicke's area of the brain - up to a computer and asked the patient to say ten different words.

Based on the brain patterns being emitted, they managed to match the correct word with the corresponding signal between 28 per cent and 48 per cent of the time.

Although this figure dropped as they increased the number of words, the scientists were hugely encouraged by establishing a concept for the technique, which is known as micro-electrocorticography.

"The microelectrode grids that we placed on top of the brain are actually simple technology," said Utah University Assistant Professor of Bioengineering Bradley Greger.

"The hard part for us was to figure out how to take the recordings we got from the microelectrodes and relate it to the words that the patients were speaking."

Professor Greger added that it will be tough to account for all the subtleties of the brain and the numerous ways of saying one word.

However, a 90 per cent success rate target has been set for the computer recognition software and a synthesiser could ultimately be used to turn the signals into spoken words.

Patients who suffer from severe epilepsy tend to have the areas of their brain which are most vulnerable to seizures removed, which can often restrict their ability to speak.

The results of the study - which also involved neurosurgery professor John House - are published in the October issue of the Journal of Neural Engineering.

Source:


Mind-Reading Devices to Help the Speechless Speak (10/09/10)

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