Synchron, an American company developing brain-machine interface (BCI) technologies to restore motor functions in paralyzed people, announced the integration of OpenAI’s generative artificial intelligence system into its platform. This will allow patients with severe paralysis to interact with other people using the power of thought.
A patient with a Synchron implant uses an AI chatbot to communicate. The green tiles are the AI’s suggested phrases. Image source: Synchron
A neural interface chatbot powered by AI from the creator of ChatGPT will simplify the communication process for users. The system can generate automatic prompts in text and audio format in real time, taking into account the context and emotional state of the user (the system accepts text, audio and graphic data), and offer optimal phrase options. That is, AI will help in typing by the power of thought, predicting what a person would like to say in a given situation, and offer several options for words or phrases to choose from – a kind of advanced T9.
The company has already tested the technology on a patient who previously received its BCI. Mark, a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) who received the Synchron implant last year, has been testing the new AI chatbot feature intermittently for the past two months. He says it helps him save precious time and energy when communicating with loved ones. Using a BCI requires focus and practice, so Mark says the AI helps take some of the strain off of responding to messages.
Tom Oxley, CEO and founder of Synchron, emphasized the importance of this integration: “Our patients have lost the ability to perform any actions due to neurological diseases. Generative AI can suggest options that are contextually relevant to the environment, and BCI allows the person to make a choice based on a given cue. The system essentially preserves the fundamental human right to freedom of expression and autonomy.”
Here’s what Mark had to say about the new technology: “As someone who will likely lose the ability to communicate as a currently incurable disease progresses, this technology gives me hope that in the future I will still have a way to easily communicate with loved ones.”
The Synchron device is implanted into the blood vessels on the surface of the motor cortex of the brain via the jugular vein using a minimally invasive endovascular procedure. Once implanted, the device is able to detect and wirelessly transmit motor intent from the brain, allowing paralyzed people to control personal devices hands-free, as if pointing a mouse and clicking on options. Similarly, a person will be able to select words and phrases suggested by the AI. It is important to note that the Synchron platform will not transmit a person’s brain signals to an OpenAI server — the company’s own platform in the AWS cloud is used.
Synchron’s updated BCI platform, now powered by generative AI, will enable patients to type at a more natural speed, dramatically improving the quality of communication. It’s the first commercial product of its kind that will enable millions of people with upper limb impairments to stay connected to the world.
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Source: 3dnews.ru
