Researchers rework tongue-based communication

It turns out that the tongue isn't tied to the spinal cord (had we paid better attention in Bio101, we'd have known that), which goes a long way towards keeping it unimpared in the event of spinal cord injury. A team at Georgia Tech is developing a tongue-based apparatus for disabled people that, which not as elegantly packaged as the GRAViTONUS device we've seen earlier, fashions a pointing device from a small tongue-mounted magnet and sensors near the cheeks. The team has promised interactivity way beyond what can be done with "sip and puff" input methods; think "mouth replaces mouse" and you've got the idea. Hopefully Mavis Beacon tongue-typing and the incorporation of haptic feedback won't be far behind.

[Bob @ Aug 26th 2008 3:27AM]

So instead of like hearing you and doing what you say, it like feels what your tongue is doing?

[LondonConsultant @ Aug 26th 2008 5:48AM]

I can't understand your comment, but the bunny is cute!

[Blackstar @ Aug 26th 2008 7:20AM]

"It takes a linking and keeps on ticking!"
"It's sensor licking good!"
"It's nothing to pfthththththth at!"
"Open up and say aaaaaah!
"Four out of Five quadriplegics recommend it!"
"The control last an extra, extra, extra long time!"
"It... ok, I'll stop now."

[nohone @ Aug 26th 2008 3:34AM]

The real trick is writing the alphabet with your tongue...

[Mustaine @ Aug 26th 2008 5:38AM]

That's what I call...a cunning linguist

[AJ in the East Bay @ Aug 26th 2008 9:20AM]

What was it that George Constanza called it? Something like "the counter-clockwise swirl technique" or whatever. Effin' Seinfeld could work any joke on prime time.

[Mustaine @ Aug 26th 2008 12:34PM]

I believe his move was "the shocker". Point your fingers straight, bend your ring finger towards your palm. The swirl is done with the thumb. I'll let you figure out the rest.

[rod @ Aug 26th 2008 3:41AM]

I get a chuckle every time Engadget gets either pseudoscience or some kind of watered down science that makes it seem like pseudoscience.
When I want to read about scientific and especially biological research, I go to places like Nature.com, ScienceMag.org, Cell.com and so on; Engadget is the last place I'd like to read about science.
Can you please leave out pseudoscience or get a Science editor who can read real scientific literature and bring them here instead of linking to secondary, tertiary sources and more inferior sources like "hackaday.com?"
Being the tech-saavy readers, I'm sure a lot of others agree as well.

[M0les @ Aug 26th 2008 10:57AM]

Harold and Kumar do what now?

[Jensh @ Aug 26th 2008 4:40AM]

Now THATS a tounge-twister.




Barabambam Psssssh

[Monkey @ Aug 26th 2008 6:29AM]

Nice that you could "twist" the spelling of "tongue" to demonstrate your point. ;P

[Argot @ Aug 26th 2008 6:17AM]

Reminded me of this for some reason:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/cultureshock/flashpoints/theater/images/clockwork_big.jpg

[Jamie Bats @ Aug 26th 2008 4:28PM]

really? because I was reminded of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPU8_4sEoXE

[John @ Aug 26th 2008 11:38PM]

Is that the guy from Lost?

[Ricardo @ Aug 26th 2008 6:52AM]

I use tongue-based communication everyday, it's called speaking.

[Harry Wagstaff @ Aug 26th 2008 8:09AM]

I was effectively using tongue-based communication with your mother last night.

[NXTwoThou @ Aug 26th 2008 8:36AM]

Son..is that acid on your tongue?

[inteller @ Aug 26th 2008 8:45AM]

This guy is going to be a hit with all the ladies once he has mastered this device.

[brickwood @ Aug 26th 2008 9:33AM]

lol.. is that dave?

[James Yopp @ Aug 26th 2008 10:07AM]

Simple haptic feedback would be ridiculously easy for this. Just put an electromagnetic coil under the user's jaw to complement the magnet on the tongue. You could push it up and down with no trouble, and the tongue is extremely sensitive, so you wouldn't even have to use much current / force. That said, it might interfere with the sensors, so it might have to be activated for only microseconds at a time, and disable the sensors while it's active. If the haptic coil were integrated into a single, molded unit with the sensors, then it would be much easier to calibrate.

I think the final version of this will probably not be a bunch of booms hanging around the subject's mouth, but more like a retainer, or even implanted dental work. Look how small the prototype sensors already are.

[c. thomas @ Aug 26th 2008 11:53AM]

My mind just created some dirty thoughts......

Hey honey...

Yes.....

Could you come here for a sec......I wanna show you something

;)

[HunterXI @ Aug 26th 2008 3:11PM]

Why does the scientist in that picture look like he's about to do something horribly painful and evil to his subject?