Marina Silk

Russian neuro-diverse tech ethicist who pioneered accessible AI interfaces for non-verbal communicators.

Marina Silk (b. 1989), a Moscow-born computer scientist with autism, developed the Silk Communication Framework – an AI system that translates non-verbal cues into linguistic patterns. Her work at the Institute for Neural Diversity has revolutionized how technology interfaces with neurodiverse users.

Her breakthrough came from mapping infrasound patterns in elephant communication to create machine learning models that interpret subtle human gestures. This led to the Silk Protocol, an open-source standard now used in 47% of AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices globally.

Silk's most controversial innovation was the Ethical Mirror algorithm that forces AI systems to declare their cultural biases before interaction. This concept, detailed in her paper The Transparency Imperative, sparked global debates about algorithmic accountability.

Her Neurocosmopolitanism movement advocates for 'cognitive accessibility' as a human right, influencing EU digital policy. The Silk Keyboard – a haptic interface translating muscle micro-twitches to text – has enabled over 300,000 non-verbal users worldwide to communicate digitally.