MIT student develops a gadget that helps people silently converse with computing devices

Arnav Kapur, from MIT, has developed a device called AlterEgo, which can let a person converse with machines and AI without speech, simply by "articulating words internally." Using the device can help a person surf the internet and even perform tasks like ordering pizza using his mind instead of a phone or app. According to CBS News, it intercepts electrical signals, which the brain normally sends to vocal cords, and it sends that information to a computer.

It doesn't capture one's private thoughts but a person must deliberately activate the device by "internally vocalizing," which happens when you read in your head or silently talk to yourself. Since people don't have to open their mouths and don't have to make any externally observable movements, the device hopes to help people with speech disorders, including conditions like ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and MS (multiple sclerosis).

According to MIT Media Lab, AlterEgo is a "non-invasive, wearable, peripheral neural interface that allows humans to converse in natural language with machines, artificial intelligence assistants, services, and other people without any voice—without opening their mouth, and without externally observable movements—simply by articulating words internally.  The feedback to the user is given through audio, via bone conduction,  without disrupting the user's usual auditory perception and making the interface closed-loop.

This enables a human-computer interaction that is subjectively experienced as completely internal to the human user—like speaking to one's self. " They added that "silent speaking is a conscious effort to say a word, characterized by subtle movements of internal speech organs without actually voicing it. "

In a video interview of Kapur that was recently uploaded he is seen with the device placed behind his ear and answering difficult questions such as “the largest city in Bulgaria and its population.” Incredulously the results came after a Google search that Kapur conducted via his brain, without using speech or typing it on a search bar. According to Forbes India, Kapur pointed out that the idea behind the device is for a user to have the entire internet in their head eventually becoming an expert on any subject.

Some people mentioned their concerns about such a device in the comments. One person shared, "Protect your mind and inner thoughts, that is your only true freedom. DESTROY THIS."  Another questioned, "We also have the internet in our pockets. Like how much time do you really save by thinking about it instead of typing it." In the Frequently Asked Questions section MIT Media Lab answered the question, "What are the social implications of this technology?

Will it make people even more distracted than they already are today because of smartphones?" They responded, "One reason today’s smartphones are disruptive is that they are cumbersome in their use and require the user to shift attention to consult a device. AlterEgo allows the user to access the vast information and services available online in an effortless and less socially disruptive manner so that the user does not have to pause regular activities to interface with a computer. We believe that AlterEgo will allow users to be more closely connected to the real world while having the power of computing available at their disposal. Broader social implications of this device still remain to be formally studied."