Neurology home tongue instead of eyes helps blind people "see" the world

The late neurologists Paul · Bach succeeded Tower (Paul Bach-y-Rita) in the 1960s by hypothesis: "mankind and not with the eyes, but with the brain to see things.

"Now, a non-Implantable devices use this kind of philosophy, commitment to help visually-impaired patients to" see "all the world. It works by relying on the surface of the tongue with the optical signal transmission nerves to the brain.

This device is a United States Wisconsin Middleton Wicab company (succeeded by Bach's early years partnership founded Tower) of a group of neurologists invention, in 2003 the first demo, and eventually to market by the end of this year.

Being named the BrainPort of this equipment in an attempt to replace the original charge of Visual signals from the retina to the brain's primary visual cortex of 200 000 optic nerve cells. A mini digital camera was inlay in sunglasses lenses in the center of the frame, is responsible for the collection of visible data. Users wear a pair of special glasses, the visible data bypasses eyes, delivered to a handheld host, it can complete control lens zoom, resize, features such as optical settings, also equipped with a central processor, is responsible for the digital signal is converted into electric pulses. Central processing of signals, through being the nickname for the "lollipop" device to the tongue surface. "Lollipop" is a 9 cm size, matrix group, the arrangement of electrodes will be posted directly on the surface of the tongue. On the surface seems to be aware of current vision organ. (Saliva is also a good conductor of electricity. ) In addition, the nerve fibers are arranged on the tongue, than other tactile organs of nerve fiber is closer to the surface. For example, the finger skin surface of nerve fiber is a layer of cells from apoptosis of horny layer (stratum corneum).

"Lollipop" of each electrode on corresponds to a group of pixels.

White pixels to produce a strong electronic pulse, black pixel will not generate any pulse signal. On the surface of the nerve fibers to receive the electronic signal continuously, to the users, it feels a bit like popping candy (Pop Rocks, a mouth will crackled carbonated candy) or Champagne bubbles. Non-profit Visual rehabilitation and research organizations — Lighthouse International (Lighthouse International) Research Director William · seipel (William Seiple) describes that you typically use this appliance in 15 minutes, blind people can learn how to understand it gets around the space information. If the camera in a dark corridor of intermediate detected some luminous matter, the electrode array and the correspondence between the pixels will release the electrical impulses stimulate appears in the middle of the tongue surface. "This is like learning a skill, and learning to ride a bike is no different," Wicab company neurologists AIME · arnol du Sen (Aimee Arnoldussen) said, "this process and how babies learn to ' look ' of the process. At first it sounds a little strange, but over time will become handy. "Seipel have four patients who participate in the experiment, they performed once a week training using the BrainPort. He noted that the patient has learned how to quickly find the entrance and elevator button, how to read the letters and numbers, but also at the table easy picking cups and knife and fork, no longer feeling their way around as has been done in the past. "At first I did not expect this device can do so many things," seipel, saying, "a blind man first saw letter later moved to tears. "Normal human eye Gets the optical signal will be transmitted to the brain's visual cortex, and the tongue of tactile data in somatosensory cortex (somatosensory cortex) accept the deal, the EEG signal is issued by the BrainPort are transferred to the visual cortex or somatosensory cortex? researchers it is not possible to precisely answer the question.

In order to develop a standard to monitor such artificial vision of increasing degree, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center ophthalmology center of optometric physicians Amy · Nua (Amy Nau) will use the retina and the brain cortex layer implants such sophisticated equipment to further test the BrainPort.

She said: "we can't just throw out a Visual inspection table even if cross. We must step back, from a more fundamental level describes these people are receiving the initial skills. "Amy is of particular interest to the BrainPort, because this kind of device, without having implantation in the human body does not give users causing physical injury.

Amy said: "many acquired blinding people are extremely keen to restore vision.

"According to the United States national institutes of health data, the United States over 40 years in compliance with the statutory standard of blind blind at least 100 million people (the so-called legal blindness standard refers to corrective not higher than 0.1 or vision is less than 20 degrees). Adult vision loss caused by social expenditure, only in the United States, an annual $ 514 million. Although the sensory substitution technology cannot completely rebuild the vision, but they do for the blind gets space orientation provides the necessary information to help. Wicab, President and Chief Executive Officer Robert · Beckman (Robert Beckman) revealed that the company has scheduled the end of August this year to the United States food and Drug Administration (FDA) submitted a BrainPort listing applications. He said that such a device may be the end of 2009 listing, each priced at about $ 1 million.