Tounge driven wheelchairs

July 1, 5:28 PMHartford Special Needs Kids ExaminerDanna Mann

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Electrical and computer engineers designed a system based on magnets that enables disabled persons to use the tongue to control the movement of a wheelchair. 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. The sensor output signals are wirelessly transmitted to a portable computer, which can be carried on the user's wheelchair. A unique set of specific tongue movements can be tailored for each individual based on the user's abilities, oral anatomy, personal preferences and lifestyle.

Electrical and computer engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology developed the system. Equipped with a magnetic sensor, the tongue acts like a joystick. A special headset tracks every move, whether the tongue moves from its resting position or it touches a certain tooth. In less than a second, each movement is translated into a command to control a wheelchair, a computer cursor or other device.

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 processed to determine the relative motion of the magnet with respect to the array of sensors in real-time. This information is then used to control the movements of a cursor on the computer screen or to substitute for the joystick function in a powered wheelchair. The system can potentially capture a large number of tongue movements, each of which can represent a different user command. The Tongue Drive system is also non-invasive and does not require brain surgery like some of the brain-computer interface technologies.

Results of the computer access test by novice users with the current Tongue Drive prototype showed a response time of less than one second with almost 100 percent accuracy for the six individual commands. This is equivalent to an information transfer rate of approximately 150 bits per minute, which is much faster than the bandwidth of most brain-computer interfaces. The researchers have also tested the ability of twelve able-bodied individuals to operate an electric-powered wheelchair with the Tongue Drive system. The next step is to test and assess the usability and acceptability of the system by people with severe disabilities. He is teaming with the Shepherd Center, an Atlanta-based catastrophic care hospital, and the Georgia Tech Center for Assistive Technology and Environmental Access, to conduct those trials.

The research team has also begun to develop software to connect the Tongue Drive system to a wide variety of readily available communication tools such as text generators, speech synthesizers and readers. In addition, the researchers plan to add control commands, such as switching the system into standby mode to permit the user to eat, sleep or engage in a conversation while extending battery life. 

For assistive technology in Connecticut information please visit CT Tech Act 

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