Scientists at the University of California at Berkeley have successfully reconstructed a Pink Floyd song using neural signals from the brain. The researchers recorded the brain activity of 29 patients who listened to the song “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1” and used the data to decode and reconstruct the audio using a machine learning model. This groundbreaking study, published in the scientific journal PLOS Biology, could lead to advancements in helping patients with speech impediments communicate and provide more insight into how the brain processes sound and music.
The project began in 2009 when 29 patients undergoing epilepsy treatment volunteered to have their brain activity recorded while listening to the Pink Floyd song. By analyzing the neural data collected over the course of six years, the researchers were able to identify specific regions of the brain, particularly the superior temporal gyrus, that were responsible for processing the rhythm and perception of the song.
Ludovic Bellier, a senior computational research scientist and lifelong musician, played a crucial role in the project by decoding the collected data and turning it into a sound file that closely resembled the original Pink Floyd song. The researchers hope that this technology can be further developed to assist individuals who have lost their ability to communicate by creating more natural-sounding speech-generating devices.
The study also opens up possibilities for composing music through thought and other medical applications. By understanding how music is processed in the brain, scientists can potentially develop tools that allow individuals to express themselves and communicate their thoughts through music.
Robert Knight, a neuroscientist at UC Berkeley and an author of the study, commented on the potential clinical applications of this research, saying, “There’s potentially many clinical applications of understanding music besides the fact that, you know, it is cool to do it.”
Although the choice of a Pink Floyd song was fitting given the interest it generated, Knight jokingly suggested that the next study could be recreated with a song by Taylor Swift.
This groundbreaking study not only showcases the capabilities of decoding brain signals to reconstruct music but also holds promising implications for the future of medical treatments and communication assistance.