The blind are able to “read” thanks to an innovative system which was developed by Louis Braille all those years ago, and his system has remained largely in place even until now so that the visually impaired will be able to escape and lose themselves in a whole new world of knowledge. Having said that, how about the deaf – how are they supposed to hear? Cochlear implants have somewhat treated certain less serious cases, but researchers at Colorado State University might have come across something that is better – through sensory substitution.
Rather than hearing audible signals, this new device being developed would be an electrode-filled retainer which will press itself against the roof of your mouth. This particular retainer will be connected to a Bluetooth microphone, which means each time someone speaks, the sounds will be “translated” into unique vibration signatures – which can be “read” by pressing your tongue to the roof of your month. The learning curve can be pretty steep in terms of decoding such vibrations, although it is touted by the researchers to be easy.
It is still some way before such technology ends up in mainstream action, which is why neuroscientist Leslie Stone-Roy has been roped in to discover the best locations for the vibrating electrodes.
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