System and method for speech generation from brain activity

1. A method of assisting a subject to generate sounds, comprising the steps of:

a. training the subject to imagine a predetermined sound;

b. sensing at least one first neural impulse from a first preselected location in the subject's brain, the first neural impulse generated as a result of the subject imagining the predetermined sound;

c. associating a first preselected sound with the first neural impulse; and

d. generating the first preselected sound in an audible format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first preselected sound corresponds to a first phoneme.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first preselected sound corresponds to a note of a first frequency.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first neural impulse comprises a first action potential.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of detecting a second action potential detected at the first preselected location of the subject's brain.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of

a. associating a second preselected sound, different from the first preselected sound, with the second action potential; and

b. generating the second preselected sound in an audible format.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second preselected sound corresponds to a second phoneme, different from the first phoneme.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first neural impulse comprises a local field potential.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of implanting a neural electrode into the preselected location of the subject's brain, wherein the sensing step comprises sensing the neural impulse at the neural electrode.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the neural electrode implanting step comprises the step of implanting a neurotrophic electrode.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

a. sensing at least one second neural impulse from a second preselected location, different from the first preselected location, of the subject's brain;

b. associating a second preselected phoneme, different from the first preselected phoneme, with the second neural impulse; and

c. generating an audible sound corresponding to the second preselected phoneme.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second neural impulse comprises a local field potential.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second neural impulse comprises an action potential.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

a. performing a functional MRI scan of the subject's brain while the subject executes a mental exercise, thereby determining at least one area of brain activity during the mental exercise; and

b. applying an electrode to the area of brain activity to sense neural impulses.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing step comprises sensing a preselected set of a plurality of different action potentials at the first preselected location of the subject's brain.

16. A method of assisting a subject to generate speech, comprising the steps of:

a. training the subject to imagine a predetermined sound;

b. sensing a plurality of neural impulses from a plurality of locations in the subject's brain generated as a result of the subject imagining the predetermined sound;

c. associating a preselected sound with a predetermined pattern of neural impulses; and

d. generating the preselected sound in an audible format.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the neural impulses comprise action potentials.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the neural impulses local field potentials.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the preselected sound comprises a phoneme.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the preselected sound comprises a frequency.

21. A method of enabling communication with a subject, comprising the steps of:

a. performing a functional MRI scan of the subject's brain while the subject is executing a predetermined mental exercise so as to determine a first location in the subject's brain where neural activity occurs while the subject is executing the mental exercise;

b. implanting an electrode in the subject's brain at the first location;

c. training the subject to associate a desire to express a predetermined phoneme with an action potential generated at the first location in the subject's brain;

d. sensing the action potential at the electrode; and

e. generating an audible sound corresponding to the predetermined phoneme in response to the sensing of the action potential.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

a. determining at least one second location in the subject's brain where neural activity occurs while the subject is executing a portion of the mental exercise;

b. implanting a second electrode in the subject's brain at the second location;

c. training the subject to associate a desire to express second predetermined phoneme with a second action potential generated at the second location in the subject's brain;

d. sensing the second action potential; and

e. generating a second audible sound corresponding to the second predetermined phoneme in response to the sensing of the second action potential.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

a. training the subject to associate a desire to express second predetermined phoneme with a second action potential generated at the first location in the subject's brain;

b. sensing the second action potential; and

c. generating a second audible sound corresponding to the second predetermined phoneme in response to the sensing of the second action potential.

24. An apparatus for assisting a subject to generate speech based upon electrical activity in the brain, comprising:

a. at least one sensor that senses a neural impulse in the subject's brain, which has been generated after the subject has been trained to generate the neural impulse in association with a desire to express a phoneme, and that generates a signal representative thereof;

b. an electronic speech generator that generates the phoneme in response to the generation of the signal; and

c. an audio system that generates audible sounds corresponding to the phoneme based upon the signal received from the speech generator.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the neural impulse comprises a local field potential.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the neural impulse comprises a neuronal discharge.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the neural impulse comprises an action potential.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the sensor is capable of sensing a plurality of action potentials in the subject's brain and is capable of generating a corresponding plurality of signals, each representative of a different one of the plurality of action potentials, and wherein the electronic speech generator generates a different phoneme in response to each of the plurality of signals, so that the audio system is capable of generating audible sounds that correspond to a plurality of different phonemes in a sequence.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the sensor comprises an implanted electrode.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the implanted electrode comprises a neurotrophic electrode.

31. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the electronic speech generator comprises a computer programmed to detect an action potential sensed by the sensor.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the computer is further programmed to associate an action potential with a specific phoneme.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the computer is further programmed to generate audible sounds that correspond to the specific phoneme.