Non-acoustic sensors detect speech without sound From: NewScientist.com - 04/09/2005 By: David Hambling The US Department of Defense's research agency, DARPA, is working on a project known as Advanced Speech Encoding, which aims to replace microphones with non-acoustic sensors that can detect speech via a person's nerve and muscle activity, rather than sound itself. One system under development relies on a sensor worn around the neck called a tuned electromagnetic resonator collar (TERC). The collar detects changes in capacitance caused by vocal cord movement, and allows speech to be heard above loud background noise. Another approach - first developed at NASA's Ames Research Center - involves placing electromyographic sensors on the neck to detect changes in impedance during speech. Read the entire article at: http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7247 --- New Sensors Detect Speech without Sound From: ABCNews.com - 04/19/2005 By: Paul Eng The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Advanced Speech Encoding project is developing non-acoustic sensor technologies that could have uses outside of the military communication applications they are designed for. The initial phase of the project yielded an "active noise cancellation" headset that California-based AliphCom is marketing for consumer cell phones; the device is equipped with a conventional microphone and a sensor that measures vibrations from a person's jaw, and speech is distinguished from background noise via processors that compare the electric signals produced by the mike and the sensor and generate a signal that filters out the noise. Another technology being developed under the aegis of the Advanced Speech Encoding project is the Tuned Electromagnetic Resonance Collar (TERC), a capacitor worn around the neck that is sensitive to tiny movements in the wearer's vocal cords. The capacitance changes are measured and processed by microchips and converted into synthesized human speech by computers running custom-made software. However, the TERC technology is still unable to detect plosives and fricatives, and the computers needed to translate the digital signals into speech are cumbersome. TERC principal investigator Donald Brown of Worcester Polytechnic Institute notes that although DARPA has ceased funding for further research, the technology's potential applications beyond clear communications could renew interest. DARPA's Jan Walker says the planning of the Advanced Speech Encoding project's second phase is underway. Prospective technologies include sensors from NASA's Ames Laboratory that use electrodes for detecting sub-vocal or even silent speech. Read this entire story at: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/FutureTech/story?id=680125&page=1 Links: Jawbone Adaptive Headset http://www.jawbone.com/ Tuned Electromagnetic Resonator Collar Sensor http://spinlab.wpi.edu/Projects/TERC/ It's good to talk - but don't make a sound http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-04/ns-igt040605.php Advanced Technology Office http://www.darpa.mil/ato/programs/vocorder.htm Signal processing lab, Worcester Polytechnic Institute http://spinlab.wpi.edu/ TERC research, Worcester Polytechnic Institute http://www.wpi.edu/Pubs/ETD/Available/etd-0114104-144946/ Not mind-reading, but it comes close http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=mg18124401.300 Non-verbal sounds key to controlling computers http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn1442 NASA develops 'mind-reading' system http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn4795 Chuck Jorgensen http://www.nasatech.com/NEWS/May04/who_0504.html Subvocal Speech Demo http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/news/releases/2004/subvocal/subvocal.html NASA develops secret speech aid http://www.we-make-money-not-art.com/archives/003804.php http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2004/11/nasa_develops_s.html System Lets You Speak without Saying a Word http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2004-03-19-3 A system that 'speaks' the mind http://tc.arc.nasa.gov/story.php?id=139&sec= System susses out silent speech http://www.trnmag.com/Stories/2004/032404/System_susses_out_silent_speech_032404.html NASA Develops System To Computerize Silent, "Subvocal Speech" http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2004/mar/HQ_04093_subvocal_speech.html NASA Develops System to Computerize Silent, Subvocal Speech http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=13855 Subvocal Speech http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/sci_update.cfm?DocID=225 NASA Develops Mind Reading Device http://www.rednova.com/news/stories/3/2004/03/18/story004.html 'Subvocal speech' computerized http://p2pnet.net/story/1089