Now blind can ‘see’ via their tongue

Washington

In an attempt to assist the visually challenged, a new intra-oral device that can capture videos and interpret it into signals has been developed.

The new device helps blind people identify location, shape and size of various objects by processing visual images with their tongues.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed marketing of the battery-powered device that includes a video camera mounted on a pair of glasses and a small, flat intra-oral device containing a series of electrodes that the user holds against their tongue which is christened as BrainPort V100.

The software of the device converts the image captured by the video camera into electrical signals that are then sent to the intra-oral device and perceived as vibrations or tingling on the user’s tongue.

With training and experience, the user can interpret the signals to determine the location, position, size, and shape of objects, and to determine if objects are moving or stationary.

“Medical device innovations like this have the potential to help millions of people,” said William Maisel, deputy director for science and chief scientist in the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.