Telepathy machine? Here’s what MIT’s AlterEgo wearable actually does

There’s a new wearable device in town that looks like telepathy in action. It’s called AlterEgoHer secret is not magic or mind reading.

Their makers say the devices detect “silent speech,” including everything from pronouncing words to speaking internally (think subtle internal movements).

This means that many tasks normally done with your voice can now be done silently, including conversation, live translation between languages, and control of digital devices. The device itself is worn on your ears.

There is a privacy benefit to not having to say sensitive information publicly, but there are also privacy concerns that naturally arise when a computer comes between two people communicating.

How it works

AlterEgo, a spin-off of the original MIT Media Lab project of the same name, says the technology behind AlterEgo is based on what researchers call “silent speech,” a way of interpreting the subtle neuromuscular signals associated with speech before words are spoken out loud.

But the AlterEgo system goes further than that. Its creators have developed a system called Silent Sense that allows the device to detect multiple forms of speech activity — from normal speaking to silently spoken words or even faint muscle signals that appear when you intend to speak.

If it makes you stop and wonder if a device can read your mind, it can’t. Instead, it detects signals that are produced when a person intentionally turns on their speech system.

The future of accessibility?

The AlterEgo has the potential to be one of the most interesting new wearable technologies in recent memory, but I still have many questions. Will it be used as an access device like the implantable BCIs from Synchron and Neuralink? How does AlterEgo differentiate between speaking intent and actual thoughts? Can this technology be reused in some way to achieve the latter goal?

At the time of writing, AlterEgo had not responded to a request for comment. To see highlights from the demo, check out the video in this article.