NASA scientists have begun to computerize human, silent reading using
   nerve signals in the throat that control speech. In preliminary
   experiments, NASA scientists found that small, button-sized sensors,
   stuck under the chin and on either side of the ‘Adam’s apple,’ could
   gather nerve signals, send them to a processor and then to a computer
   program that translates them into words.

   "What is analyzed is silent, or sub-auditory, speech, such as when a
   person silently reads or talks to himself," said Chuck Jorgensen
   (pictured), a scientist whose team is developing silent, subvocal
   speech recognition at NASA Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon
   Valley.

   Please credit photo to NASA Ames Research Center, Dominic Hart.

   Photo No. ACD04-0024-001

   [9]Preview Size| [10]Publication Size
   Photo No. AC02-0124-001

   NASA scientists have begun to computerize human, silent reading using
   nerve signals in the throat that control speech. In preliminary
   experiments, NASA scientists found that small, button-sized sensors,
   stuck under the chin and on either side of the ‘Adam’s apple,’ could
   gather nerve signals, send them to a processor and then to a computer
   program that translates them into words.

   "What is analyzed is silent, or sub-auditory, speech, such as when a
   person silently reads or talks to himself," said Chuck Jorgensen
   (pictured), a scientist whose team is developing silent, subvocal
   speech recognition at NASA Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon
   Valley.

   Please credit photo to NASA Ames Research Center, Dominic Hart.

   Photo No. ACD04-0024-002

   [11]Preview Size| [12]Publication Size
   Photo No. ACD02-0011

   To learn more about what is in the patterns of the nerve signals that
   control vocal chords, muscles and tongue position, NASA Ames scientists
   are studying the complex nerve signal patterns. "We use an amplifier to
   strengthen the electrical nerve signals. These are processed to remove
   noise, and then we process them to see useful parts of the signals to
   show one word from another," Jorgensen said.

   After the signals are amplified, computer software ‘reads’ the signals
   to recognize each word and sound. "We use neural network software to
   learn and classify the words," Jorgensen said. "It’s recognizing the
   pattern of a word in the signal."

   Please credit photo to NASA Ames Research Center, Dominic Hart.

   Photo No. ACD04-0024-003

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   Photo No. ACD02-0050-1

   In their first experiment, scientists ‘trained’ special software to
   recognize six words and 10 digits that the researchers ‘repeated’
   subvocally. Initial word recognition results were an average of 92
   percent accurate. The first sub-vocal words the system ‘learned’ were
   ‘stop,’ ‘go,’ ‘left,’ ‘right,’ ‘alpha’ and ‘omega’ and the digits
   ‘zero’ through ‘nine.’ Silently speaking these words, scientists
   conducted simple searches on the Internet by using a number chart that
   represents the alphabet to control a Web browser program. Please credit
   photo to NASA Ames Research Center, Dominic Hart.

   "We took the alphabet and put it into a matrix -- like a calendar. We
   numbered the columns and rows, and we could identify each letter with a
   pair of single-digit numbers," Jorgensen said. "So we silently spelled
   out ‘NASA’ and then submitted it to a well-known Web search engine. We
   electronically numbered the Web pages that came up as search results.
   We used the numbers again to choose Web pages to examine. This proves
   we could browse the Web without touching a keyboard," Jorgensen
   explained.

   Please credit photo to NASA Ames Research Center, Dominic Hart.

   Photo No. ACD04-0024-004

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   A second demonstration will be to control a mechanical device using a
   simple set of commands, according to Jorgensen. His team is planning
   tests with a simulated Mars rover. "We can have the model rover go left
   or right using silently ‘spoken’ words," Jorgensen said.

   Please credit photo to NASA Ames Research Center, Dominic Hart.

   Photo No. ACD04-0024-005

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   Photo No. ACD02-0050-3

   A second demonstration will be to control a mechanical device using a
   simple set of commands, according to Jorgensen. His team is planning
   tests with a simulated Mars rover. "We can have the model rover go left
   or right using silently ‘spoken’ words," Jorgensen said.

   Please credit photo to NASA Ames Research Center, Dominic Hart.

   Photo No. ACD04-0024-006

   [19]Preview Size| [20]Publication Size
   Photo No. ACD02-0050-3

   People in noisy conditions could use the system when privacy is needed,
   such as during telephone conversations on buses or trains, according to
   scientists.

   Please credit photo to NASA Ames Research Center, Dominic Hart.

   Photo No. ACD04-0024-007

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   [23]+ NASA Develops System to Computerize Silent, 'Subvocal Speech'
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