Healthwatch: Unlocking the voices of the 'locked in'
By: Erin Davisson
Updated: January 29, 2013
(WFRV)--A car crash, then a stroke left this champion wrestler, college student and Army Communications Specialist locked-in.
Now, Greg Bieker communicates with his eyes. Using this chart, those closest to him can figure out what Greg is saying. It's tedious and time consuming.
Greg can only communicate when someone else is in the room, but now researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University Brain Institute are using a brain-computer interface to give people like Greg more freedom.
Greg puts on a cap with electrodes and the computer detects change. That change is noted as basically a mouse click. Like texting on a smartphone, the technology can predict words. Soon, it could also predict whole sentences and possibly do even more for Greg.
Now, Greg Bieker communicates with his eyes. Using this chart, those closest to him can figure out what Greg is saying. It's tedious and time consuming.
Greg can only communicate when someone else is in the room, but now researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University Brain Institute are using a brain-computer interface to give people like Greg more freedom.
Greg puts on a cap with electrodes and the computer detects change. That change is noted as basically a mouse click. Like texting on a smartphone, the technology can predict words. Soon, it could also predict whole sentences and possibly do even more for Greg.
