Scientists reconstruct Pink Floyd song by listening to people’s brainwaves
Breakthrough raises hopes that musicality of natural speech can be restored in patients with disabling neurological conditions
Scientists have successfully recreated Pink Floyd's song "Another Brick in the Wall" by analyzing people's brainwaves, reports The Guardian.
This is the first time a recognizable song has been decoded from brain activity recordings. The goal is to help people with neurological conditions like stroke or ALS communicate better by restoring musicality to their speech.
Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, utilized artificial intelligence (AI) methods to decipher brain signals.
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Previous attempts to decode brain activity resulted in robotic-sounding speech. This study focused on brain regions responsible for processing sound. Researchers used brain recordings from 29 patients listening to a segment of the song.
Researchers employed 2,668 electrodes to capture complete brain activity, with 347 electrodes dedicated to the music itself. Through analyzing song components, a previously unknown brain area corresponding to rhythm perception, specifically the guitar rhythm, was identified. The study also unveiled certain segments of the auditory cortex.
Artificial intelligence helped recreate the song, and while the quality is muffled, parts of the lyrics and melody are recognizable.
Researchers believe using more closely spaced electrodes could improve the quality. As brain recording methods advance, non-surgical techniques might also become possible, benefiting patients in the future.
