CAREER: Enabling Enhanced Communication through Human-Machine-Interfaces

Trustees Of Boston University, Boston

Investigators

Abstract

The problem of low information transfer rates (ITR) is a critical one for people with severe speech and motor impairments, who must rely on augmented and alternative communication (AAC) to interact with other people. The PI's goal in this research is to develop new technology that will enable severely paralyzed individuals to communicate in a manner that is as fast and reliable as human speech, which would transform their lives by enabling greater independence. To this end, she will bridge the fields of AAC and human-machine interfaces (HMI) in order to develop tools that are fast and clinically viable in a two-pronged approach. She will explore surface electromyography (sEMG) as a control methodology to improve communication fluency for AAC device users, by developing algorithms to automatically determine the best placement for facial sensors to detect residual muscle movement in the head and neck. And she will overcome low ITR by improving HMI control through other modalities (e.g., gaze) in "dynamic interfaces" that automatically optimize for a given user's capabilities, and which also incorporate phoneme-based and text-based inputs. Project outcomes will enhance our fundamental understanding of head and neck sEMG control, and will improve the functionality of communication via HMIs regardless of input modality. Specific research goals include: Development and testing of algorithms to automatically determine optimal user-specific neck and face sEMG sources as an input modality for HMI control; Determining the usability and relative performance of phonemic (speech) and orthographic (text) AAC interfaces; Development and testing of methods for dynamic interfaces that speed HMI control based on predictive speech production models and additional input modalities. The project will also include a novel educational component that will enable cross-pollination between the fields of communication sciences and engineering. The PI will sponsor an organization for undergraduates in communication sciences and biomedical engineering at Boston University, where students work in teams to develop custom solutions for individuals with communication impairments to fill the gap between state-of-the-art HMI research and commercially available AAC devices. And she will develop novel educational design content, based on case studies, for a new course for first-year undergraduates and for outreach to K-12 students.