The Voice of a Mummy Comes Alive
//Print this voice//
When technology advances, its applications seem to fulfil some of the most peculiar curiosities. While reanimation of a corpse is thankfully nowhere in sight, the replication of a mummified priest came as a surprise to me as scientists were able to replicate the ancient priest’s voice box. Sounds crazy, but the science behind this is intriguing. 3D scanning and printing were used to replicate the voice box of the mummy, 3D printing has been around since the 1980s and as of the last decade or so, 3D printing has captured a wide demographic including art, maintenance, medical and much more. Chuck Hull pioneered the technique and it has been a mighty useful invention that is still making leaps and bounds today.
//Perfect mummy//
Back to the mummy’s voice, scientists have long had experience with understanding sounds made in the body and it has helped discover many new medical practices over the years. This foundation of understanding however has not been applied to artificial replication however, and it is the first time that such a project has sought to uncover the voice of the past. Examining a mummy was of course essential for the exercise and scanning/printing were used to replicate the vocal tract. This can’t be done with any corpse however, as measurement of soft tissue is required to accurately reconstruct the voice box. The embalmment of the body and mummification processes made this body the perfect specimen for the project. Ironically, the mummy used was an Egyptian priest who wished for his voice to be heard again, it’s amazing what science can deduce with modern day analysis. Even cause of death can be theorised with plausible reason.
//Talk the talk//
So far, the project uses a digital larynx that produces sound through the printed voice box. Eventual development seeks to produce words and prayers of the past priest and it sounds a little daunting, but it would certainly open the doors to a new field of historic venturing. Artificial voice technology is fast advancing, coupling this with Artificial Intelligence, there are many concerns over possible malicious applications of this technology. While the scientific world strives for the better of humanity, it’s interesting to think about the possible risks of inventions, the mummy project is a fascinating replication of things that have long left the Earth, the underlying technology will be applied to even more mind boggling projects in the years to come.
Sources
https://3dinsider.com/3d-printing-history/
https://www.scienceabc.com/eyeopeners/how-did-mummies-stay-preserved-for-such-a-long-time.html