Sight by Tongue
A British soldier who was blinded by an exploding RPG in Iraq has now been given the ability to “see” with a device that sends vibrations to his tongue. He can read words, decipher shapes, and walk entirely unaided.
The device includes a small camera attached to a pair of sunglasses that’s connected to a length of wire with a plastic lollipop on the end that the user puts in their mouth. It works by converting images into a series of electrical impulses that stimulate the tongue. The changing strengths and patterns of the stimulation allow him to create a picture of his surroundings and navigate around objects.
He says that the impulses feel like “licking a 9-volt battery or like popping candy,” but that they allow him to build up an image accurately enough to read words and visualize objects in the space in front of him. He says that even though the device is still in the prototype phase, it has changed his life immensely. He can now reach out and pick up objects easily without having to fumble around trying to find them.
Currently, the device sends information to 400 points on the tongue. But the developers are hoping to create a much more advanced version that sends impulses to 4,000 points on the tongue, enabling the user to interpret the information faster and with greater clarity.
To read the original article, please go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/mar/15/blind-soldier-tongue-sight