BrainPort Lets The Blind “See” With Their Tongues

Several years ago a device called the BrainPort was created and it was basically a device that allowed the blind to navigate the world using their tongue. The good news is that if you were wondering when the device would finally go on sale, you’re in luck as the FDA has recently given the device their nod of approval.

What this means is that the creators behind the BrainPort V100 have been cleared and will now be able to freely market and sell the device in the US. Now just in case you missed our previous report and are wondering what the BrainPort is about, like we said this is a device that uses the tongue of the wearer to guide them around.

As you can see in the image above, this involves them putting a set of electrodes into their mouth, which is also attached to a pair of sunglasses worn on their face. The sunglasses itself is equipped with a camera and will be able to estimate distance, movement, and shape. The data will then be converted into a series of stimulations on your tongue courtesy of a set of electrodes.

From there, the wearer will be able to learn what sensation equals what and should be able to better perceive things like distance and if there are any objects in front of them. It’s not meant to replace other forms of assistance such as guide dogs or a dedicated helper, but it should be good enough to give the wearer additional information in order to make certain decisions on their own.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Medical
Tags: brainport, fda