Brain implant restores speech for ALS patient Casey Harrell

Casey Harrell, a 42‑year‑old diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), lost his voice after three years of disease progression. In a clinical trial at the University of California, Davis, researchers implanted four tiny brain‑computer interface devices as part of the federally funded BrainGate2 study. The system records neural signals, decodes them with artificial‑intelligence algorithms, and translates them into text and synthetic speech.

Harrell reports that the implant gave him "the ability to speak out of my brain." Over roughly two years he used the device at home for more than 3,800 hours, producing 183,060 sentences – about 1.96 million words – at a rate of 56 words per minute. He can also move a cursor and click. The team aims to develop a fully wireless version. The breakthrough contrasts with earlier, slower communication aids for paralyzed patients and is being watched by companies such as Neuralink and Paradromics. Researchers elsewhere, including at the University Medical Center Utrecht, note the significance of achieving reliable, everyday speech for ALS patients.