Stephen Hawking, the famed theoretical physicist
diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, lost the ability
to speak thirty years ago. In the meantime, a
computerized voice generated by an infrared sensor
inside Hawking’s mouth has allowed him to
communicate. According to a recent report,
however, the muscles controlling the device have
been deteriorating, limiting him to as little as one
word per minute. ---- This is a horrifying prospect for
the scientific community that has benefitted greatly
from his findings. But a new device recording brain
functions at an unprecedented level of detail was
developed and has been proposed to improve
Hawking’s ability to communicate once again.