Pre-reading questions:
- Do you think technologies are helpful?
- What technologies do you always use?
Vocabulary:
- thought /thawt/
- patient /PEY-shuhnt/
- produce /pruh-DOOS/
- result /ri-ZUHLT/
- successful /suh k-ses-fuhl/
[noun] the act of thinking about or considering something, an idea or opinion, or a set of ideas
The student shared his thoughts about the research to his professor.
[noun] a person who is receiving medical care
Doctors always make sure to check on their patients’ health.
[verb] to make something or bring something into existence
The larynx or voice box is the part of the body that produces sound.
[noun] the information you get from something
The result of the exam was posted yesterday.
[adjective] achieving the results wanted or hoped for
The operation was successful.
The University of California’s scientists created a computer program that turns thoughts into words with the help of a brain-computer interface (BCI). This works out what a person wants to say by looking at the movements of lips, tongue, jaw, throat, and other vocal parts of the body. The study aims to help people with speech disabilities to speak. They worked with five patients who have epilepsy to test the device. Scientists recorded the movements of the patients’ part of the brain that produces language. The computer models will then turn data into spoken words. Though the result of the study was successful, it will take years of further work before this technology is made available for patients’ use.
True or False:
- The University of California’s scientists created a computer program that translates thoughts into words through a brain-computer interface.
- The scientists worked with 25 patients who have epilepsy.
- Scientists recorded the movements in the language-producing part of the patients’ brains while they are reading sentences aloud.
- The computer models can change spoken words into thoughts.
- The computer model is now available for everyone.
Vocabulary Check:
Complete the sentences by using the words in the box.
| thought | result | patient | produce | successful |
- Please give me the ___________ of the x-ray.
- Trees ___________ oxygen for humans.
- Yutaka Takahasi became one of the ___________ scientists in Japan when his research won the 2015 Japan Prize.
- The professor asked the student to give his __________ on the study of cell regeneration.
- The _________ with epilepsy needs an all day guidance and protection.