Northwestern researchers have made notable scientific advancements in the past week. The Daily compiled a recap of their latest findings.
More brain regions responsible for speech
NU scientists identified additional areas of the brain involved in the intent to produce speech — specifically the temporal and parietal cortices, according to a new study. Until now, only the frontal lobe has been recognized as responsible for speech.
This finding opens the door for a possible new treatment for Broca’s Aphasia, a language disorder caused by damage to the frontal lobe which affects a person’s ability to communicate. With communication disorders that don’t affect the frontal lobe, typical treatment involves using a brain-computer interface to convert brain signals from the frontal lobe into words.
The study suggests the possibility of using a BCI to convert brain signals from one of the newly discovered regions of the brain responsible for speech to treat patients with Broca’s Aphasia. According to the study, there is still much research to be done.
New synthetic neurons mimic sensory behavior of human neurons
Together with researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology, NU scientists have developed a high-performing, organic electrochemical neuron that has similar sensory responses to human neurons, according to a recent study.
The development has the potential to propel the progress of intelligent robots, which has been stalled because synthetic sensory systems have been historically less accurate than human sensory systems.
“The study highlights significant progress in organic electronics and their application in bridging the gap between biology and technology,” first author and McCormick Prof. Yao Yao said in the study.
The development marks the first human behavior-mimicking tactile system composed of artificial neurons.
Email: mayaikenberry2026@u.northwestern.edu
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