Wellness
Woman without any ability to speak on her own talks to husband for first time
She was cracking jokes within her first few sentences.
Jessica Adler
09.08.23

Try imagining a wife and mother who has been silenced for years suddenly bursting into laughter, sharing inside jokes with her family.

This isn’t a tear-jerker movie scene; it’s Anne’s reality.

After years of silence, thanks to a mind-blowing piece of tech, Anne’s “voice”, filtered through an artificial persona on a screen filled with wit and warmth, resonates in the room.

And boy, does she have a lot to say.

YouTube - UC San Francisco
Source:
YouTube - UC San Francisco

The magic behind Anne’s newfound voice? An electrocorticography grid.

Sounds complex, right? It’s a device snugly fitted onto Anne’s skull, capturing the tiny twitches of her facial muscles.

This grid translates her intentions into speech, a far cry from her old, clunky communication device.

YouTube - UC San Francisco
Source:
YouTube - UC San Francisco

The heroes behind this? The Chang Lab.

Their mission isn’t just about wires and codes.

It’s about reigniting the spark in people like Anne, who’ve lost their voice to unforeseen circumstances.

It’s about those heartwarming “I missed you” and “How was your day?” moments that most of us take for granted.

YouTube - UC San Francisco
Source:
YouTube - UC San Francisco

Anne’s story is about more than technology. It’s about resilience.

Imagine being 30, playing volleyball, and then waking up to a world of silence.

With two young kids looking up to her, Anne faced her new reality with a courage that was nothing short of inspiring.

YouTube - UC San Francisco
Source:
YouTube - UC San Francisco

Before this tech wonder, Anne’s conversations were a test of patience.

Using her old device felt like trying to have a chat using Morse code.

But now? She’s chatting away, marveling at how she ever managed with her old, snail-paced machine.

YouTube - UC San Francisco
Source:
YouTube - UC San Francisco

And here’s the thing: Anne’s story is just the beginning.

Think of all the voices waiting to be heard, all the stories waiting to be told.

This isn’t just about tech; it’s about dreams, aspirations, and the promise of a brighter tomorrow.

Anne, with her counselor dreams, is leading the charge.

YouTube - UC San Francisco
Source:
YouTube - UC San Francisco

The brains at Change Lab? They’ve been at this for a decade.

For them, it’s not just another project. It’s personal.

They’re not stopping at Anne.

They’re dreaming bigger, hoping to bring voices back to countless souls yearning to be heard.

YouTube - UC San Francisco
Source:
YouTube - UC San Francisco

The beauty of this? It’s in the mundane.

Anne chatting with her son about the Blue Jays or their weekend plans. It’s in the laughter, the banter, the shared moments.

It’s in the realization that sometimes, the most profound joys come from the simplest conversations.

YouTube - UC San Francisco
Source:
YouTube - UC San Francisco

So, here’s to Anne, to breakthroughs, and to the magic of everyday moments.

In a world filled with noise, Anne’s voice is a window to the power of hope, resilience, and human connection.

Every voice, no matter how silent, has a story worth hearing.

See Anne make history by “speaking” for the first time in years in the video below!

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