US 9,129,595 B2 · Artificial larynx

Abstract

This invention relates to a means for compensating for a whole or partial loss of speech. The means has a sensor unit in the form of a Logometrix pseudo palate and a palatometer which sense the position of a user's tongue while endeavouring to articulate words or sounds. The sensor unit is connected to a comparator which makes use of suitable artificial intelligence algorithms (such as Multi-Layer Perceptron Neural Networks and Hidden Markov Models) together with a library of stored words and sounds as well as tongue positions and signals related to jaw and lip movement as well as inhalation and exhalation to match words or sounds and transmit the matched words or sounds to a loudspeaker. Preferably the output of the loudspeaker will simulate the natural voice of the user.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An apparatus for compensating for a loss of speech, comprising:

a sensor unit wherein the sensor unit senses the position of a user's tongue while the user articulates words or sounds;
a comparator connected to the sensor unit wherein the comparator compares the position of the user's tongue with a library of stored tongue positions and associated words or sounds, the comparator including a processor which creates words or sounds by selecting and, where necessary, modifying, associated words or sounds for projection by a loudspeaker;
and
a loudspeaker being coupled with the processor wherein when a match is found between the sensed tongue positions and the stored tongue positions, the loudspeaker then projects a sound associated with the stored tongue positions.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Artificial larynx

Life of this patent

Artificial larynx

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18