BrainPort makes blind see with their tongues
Blind will get a chance to see, but not with their eyes, instead with their tongues. A device called BrainPort which was first introduced in 2006 has made this possible; allowing the blinds to regain some vision by means of a camera and electrical impulses sent to the tongue.
The BrainPort needs the user to wear a camera on the head and a lollipop-like electrode array in the mouth, as shown in the picture. The camera captures images and sends it to BrainPort to decode the signals, which are then transformed into electrical pulses that will hit the tongue of the user gently. These impulses are then experienced as spatial awareness and even an ability of reading text.
The BrainPort is still waiting for FDA approval, and should be available early next year if everything goes smoothly. But the price of this device is a bit of problem here, as it’ll fall in the $10,000 range, which is a price not many could afford.
Written by friend on October 29th, 2009 with
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