VANCOUVER (CP) -- A mind-reading device being developed by a University of Victoria biologist and a team of 40 other volunteers could allow severely disabled people to communicate more effectively.

"We have a sense deep down that this is going to work whereas six months ago it was a hope," said Nigel Livingston.

The device, called a Cyberlink, is being developed to pick up brain signals from disabled people who can't speak and must instead use tedious means to communicate with others.

The Cyberlink will look like a headband. People wearing it will have electrodes placed on their head to pick up brain signals.

Livingston said test subjects have already shown that people can control their brain signals depending on what they're thinking about.

To communicate a message, disabled people would generate varying brain frequencies for a certain letter of the alphabet to form words, much like Morse code.

Signals would be sent into a computer attached to the Cyberlink. The researchers hope that eventually, a voice synthesizer will be used to translate the information into electronic speech.

The science-fiction-like work has been dubbed the Claire Project after Claire Minkley, an exceptionally bright Grade 12 student who has a genetic condition similar to cerebral palsy.

Claire, 17, currently communicates using her eyes -- looking to the right or left -- and pointing to groups of letters on a letter board.

The process requires help from her parents or an aide and is extremely tiring because it yields only about 20 words an hour, said John Minkley, Claire's father.

Communication is slowed down further because involuntary muscle spasms interfere with Claire's attempts to get her message across, he said.

Despite requiring a wheelchair and being unable to speak or write because she has poor muscle control, Claire is a straight-A student who wants to study physics and math in university.

"We're very excited about the project because Claire's success at university really depends on developing a better communication system than she has at present," Minkley said.

Livingston said the goal is to train Claire and others to control their brain wave patterns, much like fully functional people can control movements by using their muscles.

Livingston said Claire's ability to solve complicated problems in her head and memorize pages of information means she has tremendous control over some brain processes.

"We're very confident that she'll be able to go beyond that in terms of generating coherent brain signals," he said.

The research project involves the University of Victoria Assistive Technology Team, a group that includes electrical engineers, physiologists, psychologists, machinists and neuroscientists.

Undergraduate and graduate students are also volunteering by developing software.

The device being developed by Livingston's team is modelled on one used by U.S. air force pilots who must perform several tasks while flying a plane.

•Story originally published by:
CNews | Camille Bains - Sep 27.01

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