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

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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
