Tongue-Controlled Wheelchair!

     Georgia Tech electrical engineers have designed a system termed The Tongue-Driven System which involves an assistive medical device which allows para- and tetra-plegic patients more independence and interaction with their environments. The Tongue-Driven System is a tongue piercing that communicates the position of the patient's tongue to a headset which translates the information into six distinct motion commands directing the patient's powered wheelchair. This system was compared to the most popular current system called Sip-and-Puff which operated based on air flow through a straw-like device for similar means but which partially blocks the face. The Tongue-Driven System outperforms the Sip-and-Puff system in speed three-times over (although the patients in the trial had already used Sip-and-Puff). The system provides more motion differentiation and is just as accurate. The technology was also used in a trial to navigate computer mouse clicks and keypads. The Tongue-Driven device patients quickly caught up to their “able-bodied” opponents.

     I believe this technology is very important and excellent work because it uses current electrical device technology in collaboration with para- and tetra-plegics' functioning and powerful physiology to provide greater quality of life to these patients. The tongue would normally be overlooked but its sensitivity makes it a good tool in this case. Although it seems an odd concept at first, I think this kind of collaboration and innovation between disciplines is what the medical device industry needs to provide truly great outcome to their patients. This idea will change lives and gives the power back to these patients. I am interested in this article because I am interested in bioinstrumentation.

http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/5/213/213ra166

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131127170407.htm