The neck-mounted device helps speakers avoid the need for vocal cords

A new device that sticks to the neck could help people who cannot speak due to vocal cord problems communicate.

This small patch-like device can not only detect throat movements, but also harness movement to generate electricity, allowing the device to operate on its own without the need for batteries or charging.

New device helps convert neck muscle movements into speech - (Photo: UCLA).

The study, published March 12 in the journal Nature Communications , could theoretically help people with voice disorders caused by damaged vocal cords or vocal cord paralysis , including those in recovery. after nasopharyngeal cancer surgery.

LiveScience website quoted research team leader Jun Chen, working at the University of California (USA), as saying that the idea for the device appeared after he had a sore throat from lecturing for hours.

According to Mr. Chen, the design of this patch is based on a study (of which he is the lead author) published in 2021 in the journal Nature Metrics and previous materials research.

Since the mid-19th century, scientists have known that the magnetism of some hard metals can change when they are subjected to mechanical stress. In a 2021 study, Mr. Chen's team found a similar prototype that could work with a soft material made of tiny magnets embedded in thin silicon.

Now, in the latest research, the team uses the above material in the patch, helping the patch have the ability to respond to pressure from the movements of the neck muscles acting on it. When a person makes the movements necessary to speak, the device reacts by generating electrical signals that can be converted into speech.

Although the results are promising, the device is still in the early stages of development. Device testing is also limited to a few short phrases and sentences. Mr. Chen said the team will continue to work to increase the device's speech-to-speech capabilities.

Existing technologies, such as a small battery-powered device called an electric larynx , are often expensive or invasive, and they are inaccessible to many people. If proven effective, the new device could make voice assistant technology more convenient and less invasive, the team said.