Difficulty speaking? IIT Guwahati's sensor turns your breath into voice commands
When this air moves across a water surface, it creates small vibrations, enough for the sensor to detect.Made from a chemically reactive porous sponge, the device converts the vibrations into electrical signals.These signals are then interpreted using a deep learning system called a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), which matches them with pre-learned speech patterns.Prof. Uttam Manna, who led the project from the Department of Chemistry at IIT Guwahati, said the sensor could help users control devices from a distance, hands-free and sound-free.The innovation is particularly geared towards people who have lost their ability to speak but can still form mouth movements and exhale air.The prototype, which costs around Rs 3,000 in lab conditions, is now being prepped for clinical trials.The team is gathering speechless airflow patterns from users to fine-tune its ability to recognise common commands used in operating home appliances or digital interfaces.The research goes beyond accessibility. According to the team, the sensor has potential applications in motion detection, underwater communication, and even health tracking.Millions of people with damaged vocal cords or speech disabilities often find themselves excluded from today's voice-controlled world.While smart assistants and devices have made daily life easier for many, those who cannot speak remain unable to access these technologies.By using something as basic as breath over water, this project has taken a small but significant step toward making the digital world more inclusive, and more human.- Ends
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