Voice Box
Have you ever heard a strange robotic voice, then turned to see someone speaking through an electrolarynx? For victims of laryngeal cancer, a buzzer pressed to the neck restores speech by stepping in for lost vocal cords, but produces machine-like sounds that can be hard to understand.
In an effort to restore natural pitch and control, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary researchers are developing an electrolarynx commanded by the same nerve signals that normally control the voice. The strategy is to attach laryngeal nerves to small muscles in the neck, then use electrical signals from those muscles to turn the electrolarynx on and off and control its frequency. Doctors have re-routed nerves in nine patients so far. Project leader Robert Hillman says neural control would allow hands-free operation of the electrolarynx. Eventually, the entire system could be implanted.
Keep Reading
Most Popular
Large language models can do jaw-dropping things. But nobody knows exactly why.
And that's a problem. Figuring it out is one of the biggest scientific puzzles of our time and a crucial step towards controlling more powerful future models.
How scientists traced a mysterious covid case back to six toilets
When wastewater surveillance turns into a hunt for a single infected individual, the ethics get tricky.
The problem with plug-in hybrids? Their drivers.
Plug-in hybrids are often sold as a transition to EVs, but new data from Europe shows we’re still underestimating the emissions they produce.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.