A device funded by the National Institutes of Health can translate brain signals into simultaneous digital speech and body language expression, the NIH announced Sept. 14. It marks the first time a neuroprosthesis has restored full-body communication to people with paralysis.
The breakthrough represents a significant advance in brain-computer interface technology, with potential applications for millions of Americans living with spinal cord injury, ALS and stroke-related paralysis.
The device decodes neural activity underlying both speech and movement, allowing users to produce spoken words and physical gestures at the same time through a digital interface, according to NIH. Previous neuroprosthetic systems could decode either speech or movement, but not both simultaneously.
The simultaneous decoding capability is critical because human communication relies on the integration of speech with body language, facial expression and gesture. Restoring only one channel of communication leaves patients unable to convey the full range of meaning that natural interaction requires.
The NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke provided the research funding. The device was developed by a multi-institutional research team working in the field of neural engineering.
An estimated 5.4 million Americans live with some form of paralysis, according to the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. For patients with conditions like ALS, which progressively destroys the ability to speak and move, brain-computer interfaces represent one of the most promising pathways to restored communication.
The technology is currently at the research stage and has been demonstrated in laboratory and clinical trial settings. The timeline for broader clinical availability will depend on further testing, regulatory review and manufacturing scale-up.
NIH said the achievement builds on decades of federal investment in neuroscience and bioengineering research, reflecting the agency’s long-term commitment to developing assistive technologies for people with neurological conditions.