Audeo gives neurological patients a “voice”

The Audeo is expected to enable voiceless communication either face-to-face or via phone. Based on ultra-low power MSP430 microcontroller (MCU) technology from Texas Instruments, the Audeo will offer life-changing options for people who have lost the ability to move or speak due to neurological disorders, such as Lou Gehrig’s disease, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy or Parkinson’s. Moreover, it allows consumers to communicate voicelessly via cellphone environments not conducive to conversation.

The Audeo is a wireless sensor worn on the neck to capture neurological activity that the brain sends to the vocal cords, and then digitizes this activity using analog and digital technology to turn into speech. Thanks to the extremely low power consumption of the MSP430 MCUs, the Audeo can last over 8 hours on a single charge, giving patients the ability to interact longer.

During the Texas Instruments Developer Conference (TIDC), the Audeo placed the world’s first, voiceless cellphone call, using information gathered from the sensor worn on the neck and sends this information to a mobile phone using Bluetooth.

In addition to this innovative speech technology, the Audio can be incorporated with additional hardware, such as wheelchairs. The speech technology is expected to reach individuals before end-2008.