A technology company incubated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has just demonstrated a new wearable device capable of detecting "silence language", allowing users to communicate with AI and humans without uttering any words.
The device is named Silent Sense, developed by AlterEgo, a project originating from MIT Media Lab. According to the research team, this device can recognize signals related to speech even when the user does not make a sound.
Communication without opening your mouth
Silent Sense is designed to recognize many different types of language. In addition to ordinary speech, the device can also detect non-verbial lip movements, or very small muscle signals when the user is about to speak.
According to AlterEgo, this technology acts as a non-invasive peripheral neural interface, allowing humans to communicate with machines, AI assistants or others in natural language but completely silently.
This means that activities that need to be spoken out such as dialogue, live translation, or digital device control can be performed without opening your mouth.
Researchers believe that this technology could change the way people interact with computers in the future, as communication becomes more discreet and less attention-grabbing.
Privacy benefits
The ability to communicate silently also brings many privacy benefits. Users can exchange sensitive information or control personal devices without having to say it in front of others.
However, this technology also raises concerns related to whether the device can understand users' private thoughts.
The development team said that the device cannot read people's thoughts. Silent Sense only detects peripheral nerve signals when users actively activate their speech organs, that is, when they really intend to speak.
In other words, the thoughts in your head will not be recorded if the user does not activate the pronunciation process.
Towards supporting people with language disabilities
According to AlterEgo, the important goal of the project is to support people with language disorders such as lateral atrophic sclerosis (ALS) or multiple sclerosis.
These patients often have difficulty communicating verbally. Wearing devices like Silent Sense can help them communicate information or interact with computers more easily.
In addition, this technology is also expected to narrow the gap between humans and computers, opening up more natural forms of interaction in the future.
Still in the testing phase
Currently, Silent Sense has not yet been sold on the market. Researchers say the device needs to undergo more testing and evaluation before being commercialized.
However, the emergence of this technology has attracted great interest in the technology community, as it suggests new communication possibilities between humans and machines, where words are no longer mandatory.
