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The Tongue Controls All for the Differently Abled
"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.
Ghovanloo worked with graduate student Xueliang Huo to develop the Tongue Drive system, on which they gave a presentation at the 2008 Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA) Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.
The system involved a small magnet, the size of a grain of rice, which can be attached to an individual's tongue by implantation, piercing or tissue adhesive.
Once attached, the magnet can allow tongue motion to 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 that generally escapes damage in severe spinal cord injuries or neuromuscular diseases. Tongue movements are also fast, accurate and do not require much thinking, concentration or effort," said Ghovanloo, who started working on the project about three years ago at North Carolina State University.
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