Disabled people operate wheelchairs with their tongue
A new widget that could help disabled people steer a wheelchair or control a computer by moving their tongue, has been revealed.
US researchers have developed the tiny magnet which is implanted under the tongue to help individuals with severe disabilities lead more independent lives.
They say motion within the mouth can then direct the movement of a cursor across a computer screen or a powered wheelchair around a room.
"We chose the tongue to operate the system because unlike hands and feet, which are controlled by the brain through the spinal cord, the tongue is directly connected to the brain by a cranial nerve.
"Tongue movements are also fast, accurate and do not require much thinking, concentration or effort." said Maysam Ghovanloo, an assistant professor in the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
"This device could revolutionize the field of assistive technologies by helping individuals with severe disabilities," he added
The Tongue Drive system is non-invasive and does not require brain surgery like some of the brain-computer interface technologies.
The tongue-operated assistive technology, called the Tongue Drive system, was described on June 29 at the 2008 Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.
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