An assistive technology developed by engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology allows disabled individuals to operate a computer, control a powered wheelchair, and interact with their environments, simply by moving their tongues. Called the Tongue Drive system, the system attaches a rice grain-sized magnet to the individual's tongue to direct movement of a cursor across a computer screen, or a powered wheelchair around a room.
Movement of the magnetic tracer attached to the tongue is detected by an array of magnetic field sensors mounted on a headset outside the mouth, or on an orthodontic brace inside the mouth. The sensor output signals are wirelessly transmitted to a portable computer, which can be carried on the user's clothing or a wheelchair.
"This device could revolutionize the field of assistive technologies by helping individuals with severe disabilities, such as those with high-level spinal cord injuries, return to rich, active, independent, and productive lives," said Maysam Ghovanloo, an assistant professor in the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. "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 that generally escapes damage in severe spinal cord injuries or neuromuscular diseases."
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