Custom-built communications system: Eyeglasses with tortoise-shell arms fitted with an infrared sensor wrapped in black tape, with long connector cable on its right side.
At first, Hawking controlled his voice software using a clicker. When he could no longer move his fingers, he and his team developed a custom-built system controlled by twitching his cheek muscles. A sensor mounted on his spectacles picked up these tiny movements.
In his later years, Hawking’s cheek movements had slowed his speech to 1–2 words per minute, and he was experimenting with systems to read his brain activity.
Details
- Category:
- Stephen Hawking Office
- Collection:
- Stephen Hawking’s Office
- Object Number:
- 2021-561/20/1
- Materials:
- glass, metal (unknown) and plastic (unidentified)
- Measurements:
-
overall (closed): 40 mm x 160 mm x 160 mm,
overall (open): 40 mm x 160 mm x 200 mm,
- type:
- spectacles
- taxonomy:
-
- tools and equipment
- equipment
- eyeglasses
- credit:
- Accepted in lieu of Inheritance Tax by H M Government from the Estate of Stephen Hawking and allocated to the Science Museum, 2021
