see the world with its language

To help blind and partially sighted people “see” what's going on around them, a new device has just been approved by the Food and Drugs Administration in the United States. BrainPort V100 will provide them with information about their environment through their language.

In the form of glasses with a camera and some kind of tab composed of several electrodes to be placed on the tongue, this technology films what is happening around an individual. Thereafter translates it into electrical signals which will become vibrations as well as tingling, picked up by the muscle. A one or two week training is necessary for the user to learn to interpret the signals to determine thelocation, position, shape and size of an object. He may also be able to tell if the object in question is moving or not.

The idea of ​​receiving vibrations or tingling on the tongue can be daunting and brings up the question of potential risks users of such an object are exposed to, which is why the FDA (Food and Drugs Administration) explains in a press release having carried out numerous tests, especially regarding object recognition and reading words, before giving your consent. Studies have shown that 51 of 74 individuals who used BrainPort V100 for one year were able to recognize objects. Among the annoyances that have been noted, nothing seriously harmful to health : Superficial burns and a metallic taste in the mouth. The device should cost $ 10,000 when it goes on the market.

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