It might sound odd but there really is a team of scientists that are perfecting equipment that would allow people to operate an electric wheelchair by moving their tongue.
The latest technology
This kind of breakthrough would allow people with high-level spinal cord injuries to move around on their own. According to a press release from Georgia Institute of Technology Research News, the newest version of the system includes a retainer like device the patient wears in his/her mouth. A small sensor is place on the tongue and when the tongue is shifted to certain points on the retainer the chair moves accordingly.
The older versions included a headset, which was less appealing to many patients because of its odd look.
“By moving the sensors inside the mouth, we have created a Tongue Drive System with increased mechanical stability and comfort that is nearly unnoticeable,” said Maysam Ghovanloo, an associate professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in a press release.
A new app for iPod or iPhone
The sensors send a signal to an iPod or an iPhone and interpret the user’s commands, which in turn, moves the joystick of the wheelchair. The Tongue Drive System comes with a spot to recharge both the mouthpiece and the iPhone over night.
The future of this technology
The researchers plan to begin testing the usability of the Tongue Drive System by able-bodied individuals soon and then move onto clinical trials to test its usability by people with high-level spinal cord injuries.
“During preliminary trials, users were able to learn to use the system, move the chair with more accuracy, and maneuver through the obstacle course faster and with fewer collisions,” said Ghovanloo.
“We expect even better results in the future when trial participants begin to use the intraoral Tongue Drive System on a daily basis.”
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