Project description
Unlocking the communication capabilities of patients with locked-in syndrome
Locked-in syndrome is a rare and serious neurological disorder caused by damage to a part of the brainstem, which leaves a person totally paralysed but conscious and with normal cognitive abilities. This means they can see, hear and feel normally – even a fly on their nose, for example – yet they cannot move or speak. The psychological and emotional burden on patients and their caregivers is tremendous. The EU-funded INTRECOM project is developing a pioneering, fully implantable AI-based brain-computer interface to address this. It will enable real-time decoding of a person’s intended speech, and automatic transmission to receiving equipment in a bid to unlock the potential of these patients to communicate.
Objective
Not being able to communicate while still being conscious is a horrifying prospective for many patients worldwide. Patients with motor neuron disorders, trauma or stroke risk losing complete muscle control leading to Locked-In Syndrome (LIS) which leaves them completely paralysed and unable to communicate. This is an intolerable, fearful situation with very low quality of life and extreme burden of care for patients, family, and care givers. Intracranial Neuro Telemetry to REstore COMmunication (INTRECOM) will provide a breakthrough for these patients by developing a novel, fully implantable Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology that allows for real-time speech decoding and use in the home environment. This BCI system will significantly transcend current technology by providing a high-resolution and sustainable device, combining state-of-the-art hardware and software solutions based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) to liberate LIS patients from their isolation.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftware
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicineneurologystroke
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Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC GrantsCoordinator
3584 CX Utrecht
Netherlands