Giving the Voice Back: Speech Neuroprosthesis Meets Avatar, with Kaylo Littlejohn

Imagine a world where the ability to speak and express thoughts and emotions is lost. How would someone navigate life in silence, cut off from the power of their own voice? This is the stark reality for individuals who suffer from near-complete paralysis, where communication becomes an overwhelming challenge.

But what if there was a way to give these individuals their voice back—not just restoring speech but recreating the unique qualities of their pre-injury voice? On this episode of the BCI Award series of Neurocareers: Doing the Impossible!, we explore this groundbreaking possibility with our guest, Kaylo Littlejohn, an EECS PhD student at UC Berkeley.

Kaylo, advised by Professor Gopala K. Anumanchipalli and Dr. Edward F. Chang, has been at the forefront of developing revolutionary AI systems that translate neural activity into spoken or written words. His research focuses on restoring lost functions to those with severe paralysis through speech and avatar neuroprostheses. Remarkably, Kaylo’s work enabled the first-ever demonstration of intelligible speech synthesis from neural activity in a person who had lost the ability to communicate.

Working alongside his team at UC Berkeley and UCSF, Kaylo has helped create a neuroprosthesis capable of not only decoding speech but also controlling a virtual avatar that mirrors the user's facial expressions and emotions. This technology has already received global recognition, having been featured in Nature, on the front cover of The New York Times, and showcased at White House Demo Day. Their innovative project earned 2nd place in the prestigious BCI Award 2023.

Join us as we dive into the story behind this life-changing technology, the challenges faced along the way, and the future of AI-driven neuroprosthetics. Kaylo Littlejohn shares his journey, the cutting-edge science behind their success, and how they are truly doing the impossible by giving people back their voices—literally.

A listener’s feedback from this interview: "I was very moved by Kaylo’s story of using his patient’s wedding video to recreate her voice. What an incredible gift to her and her husband!"

About the Podcast Guest:

Kaylo Littlejohn is an EECS Ph.D. student at UC Berkeley, advised by Professor Gopala K. Anumanchipalli and Dr. Edward F. Chang. His research is focused on restoring lost function to those who have severe paralysis via the use of speech and avatar neuroprostheses. Kaylo's research enabled the first demonstration of intelligible speech synthesis from neural activity in a person who has lost the ability to communicate.

About the Podcast Host:

The Neurocareers podcast is brought to you by The Institute of Neuroapproaches (https://www.neuroapproaches.org/) and its founder, Milena Korostenskaja, Ph.D. (Dr. K), a neuroscience educator, research consultant, and career coach for people in neuroscience and neurotechnologies. As a professional coach with a background in the field, Dr. K understands the unique challenges and opportunities job applicants face in this field and can provide personalized coaching and support to help you succeed.

Here's what you'll get with one-on-one coaching sessions from Dr. K:

• Identification and pursuit of career goals
• Guidance on job search strategies, resume, and cover letter development
• Neurotech / neuroscience job interview preparation and practice
• Networking strategies to connect with professionals in the field of neuroscience and neurotechnologies
• Ongoing support and guidance to help you stay on track and achieve your goals

You can always schedule a free neurocareer consultation/coaching session with Dr. K at https://neuroapproaches.as.me/free-neurocareer-consultation

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