Speech production begins with airflow from the lungs through the windpipe, facilitated by the larynx or voice box, which acts as a conduit between the throat and windpipe. Inside the larynx are the vocal cords or vocal folds, regulated by the glottis, controlling airflow between the lungs and mouth. The voice box adjusts the space between vocal folds to create sounds, which travel through the vocal tract, modulating in volume and pitch to form "voice."
Increased acceptance of the use of alternative and augmentative communication technologies in general society can enhance the quality of life for people with speech impairment.
Dr. Jaimie Henderson had a single wish throughout childhood: for his father to be able to speak with him. Now a scientist and neurosurgeon at Stanford Medicine, Henderson and his colleagues are developing brain implants that might be able to make similar wishes come true for other people with paralysis or speech impairments.