Recognizing -unspoken- speech!

 

 Imagine thinking something, and having it turn into continuous speech.. without saying it.

 It's not science fiction, it's not "vaporware".. Ambient Corporation of Champaign, Illinois recently unveiled an incredible breakthrough - a device that recognizes and responds to words you don't speak.



 The technology uses a neckband that picks up nerve signals directed to the user's vocal cords.
In the video below, Michael Callahan, co-founder of Ambient Corporation demonstrates the device, called the Audeo demonstrates the world's first "voiceless" phone call:

 Even more incredible:
"I can still talk verbally at the same time," Callahan says. "We can differentiate between when you want to talk silently, and when you want to talk out loud." That could be useful in certain situations, he says, for example when making a private call while out in public.

 The system demonstrated above can only recognize about 150 words and phrases - At the end of the year Ambient plans to release an improved version, able to recognize the individual phonemes that make up complete words and phrases - producing true continuous speech recognition.

 Callahan also notes that the device doesn't have any risk of divulging inner thought; Callahan says producing signals for the Audeo to decipher requires "a level above thinking", users must think specifically about uttering specific speech for the Audeo to discern them.

 Pardon the pun, but..
  What will be thought up next?