MIT MediaLab’s AlterEgo allows humans to communicate with machines, artificial intelligence assistants, services, and other people using natural language without actually speaking.
The system captures neural signals when internal speech articulators are willingly and neurologically activated. One could say, it‘s a thought-reading device that is designed to read your thoughts only when you want it. A video published in 2018 showcases a 3D printed prototype with Arnav Kapur, the lead researcher of the project.
Photo: Lorrie Lejeune (MIT)
According to MIT MediaLabs website „a primary focus of this project is to help support communication for people with speech disorders in conditions like ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and MS (multiple sclerosis), among others. Beyond that, the system has the potential to seamlessly integrate humans and computers—such that computing, the Internet, and AI would weave into our daily life as a “second self” and augment our cognition and abilities.“
Also see Arnav Kapur’s TED talk.
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