The Human Tongue as a Com= puter
Group 5
Jessica Cate Barnett, Maria Bextermueller, and Ashley White
Key Words: Magnetic sensors, Virtual Computer, =
Maysam
Ghovanloo,
You use your tongue to taste and to talk but now with = The Human Tongue as a Computer you can use your tongue for much more. The Human Tongue as a Computer system focuses on the concept of a virtual computer, turning the teeth into a keyboard and the tongue into a joystick that contr= ols everything. The new Tongue-Computer system will take the small and gentle movements of your tongue and turn them into direct commands for a certain t= ask. This computer could allow the physically challenged to maneuver about their home on their own. Researchers hope that the Tongue-Computer will also give= the disabled the opportunity to perform tasks that many people take for granted= such as turning on lights or changing the channel on the television. Turning the tongue into a computer control pad could not only assist the disabled but also be useful in the business world. Imagine an of= fice in which a secretary is answering phones and managing multiple lines with h= er tongue while she’s typing a business proposal. In the next room her b= oss is presenting a new hands-on product to a group of clients using his tongue= and the Tongue-Computer System to move from slide to slide. The Human Tongue as a Computer will enable people to be more productive in their lives at home and at work. The= re is hope in transforming the lives of those that need hope the most.
The use of the tongue to assist the disabled has been intriguing scientists for many years. A research team at Georgia Tech heade= d by Maysam Ghovanloo is now moving the process forward. Maysam Ghovanloo is also an assist= ant professor at The Georgia Institute of Technology. Ghovanloo and his team are taking the use of the human tongue to the next level. They are pursuing the tongue because when a spinal injury occurs at the neck level the tongue is = usually not affected; this is because the tongue is directly connected to the brain instead of the spinal cord unlike most of the body.
A three millimeter-wide magnet is placed under the tip of the tongue to monitor the tongues movement. The movement of the tongue is then monitored by sensors l= ocated near the side of the cheeks. This information is then passed through a receiver, which is contained in the person’s headgear. The data is th= en sent to a main computer. This computer then deciphers the readings and translates the data into specific commands. At this time, the sensors are capable of completing six simple tasks in a wheelchair: left, right, forwar= d, backward, single-click and double-click. Developers hope to advance this technology with more commands such as turning on lights, changing the chann= el on the television, and controlling other household appliances. This could be completed by using the teeth as a keyboard and the tongue as a joystick. Researchers at Georgia Tech dream of using the human mouth as a tool for improving lives.
There are only a handful of options for people who are
paralyzed from the neck down to be able to communicate and interact with ot=
her
people. The most popular technique for the disable is the “sip and
puff” method that allows a disabled person to make commands or moveme=
nts
by inhaling and exhaling into a small tube. The method is very limited and =
only
offers users four different commands. These items are not cost
efficient nor user friendly. These techniques also are slow and can send mi=
xed
commands. According to researchers the tongue computer has a “response time for greater th=
an 95%
correctly completed commands is about 1.5 seconds”. The tongue uses little energy and =
does
not tire easily. Although the developers of the Tongue-Comput=
er
hope to keep the price to the virtual computer between the “sip and
puff” method and the more expensive systems of eye tracking, they
This technology could be used in the general populatio= n as well. The business world could integrate the Tongue-Computer into the busy world of communication. The Human Tongue as a Computer could be used for telemarketers, salesmen, and for presentations. The Tongue-Computer could be used to dim the lights before a presentation along with controlling the ent= ire the slide show throughout a presentation. Secretaries would not miss a beat. Secretaries could type an important proposal, answer the telephone, and scheduling meetings all at the same time. This Tongue-Computer could be the ultimate hands free devise. The virtual computer could dial the boss during hectic traffic or while your hands are full with morning coffee for the off= ice. For the average consumer, the Tongue-Computer may be used in conjunction wi= th computers or vehicles to turn radio stations or to answer telephone calls. = In the home, the Tongue-Computer could let the house security system know which family member is pulling in the driveway in order to turn on a light in the= ir bedroom, set the thermostat to the correct temperature, or even start the coffee maker. When a person approaches their front door and their hands are full, the door could sense the tongues magnet and open without any human effort.
For people who have had their independence taken away = from them because of a paralyzing injury, the Tongue-Computer could change their entire way of living. A sense of entitlement and independence would overcom= e a disabled person when relying on someone to perform the smallest of tasks wo= uld no longer be necessary. The Human Tongue as a Computer would also benefit t= he workforce not only for a hands free device but also allow companies to hire more handicap people. Managers are trending towards hiring the disabled more often now than in previous years. The authors of “Recruiting & Retaining People with Disabilities,̶= 1; Mark Havard and John Bersentes state, “a typical individual with a disability is a more engaged, = more loyal and more technologically adept employee than the average worker in the general population". &nb= sp;
Maysam Ghovanloo said, “You could have full control over your
environment by just being able to move your tongue.”
References
Bluestein, G.
(2008). The Human Tongue as Computer Control Pad. Retrieved on Monday, September 8, =
from http=
://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/08/25/tongue-computer.html
Ghovanloo, M. (2007). A
Magnetic Wireless Tongue-Computer Interface [Abstract]. Retrieved on Friday, September 26,=
from =
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=3D4227281
Havard, M. & Bersentes, J. (2008). Agencies to boost efforts to hire more disabled
employees. Retrieved on Frida=
y,
September 26, from http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0708/072208ar1.htm
&nbs= p; b. Mark Harvard<= /p>
&nbs= p; c. A research te= am at Virginia Tech
&nbs= p; d. A research te= am at Georgia Tech
5. How does The Human T= ongue as a Computer work in a person with a complete spinal cord paralysis?
&nbs= p; a. The tongue moves on= its own without the person telling it to.
&nbs= p; b. The tongue connects directly to the brain.
&nbs= p; c. The tongue connects= directly to the spinal cord.
&nbs= p; d. The computer will n= ot work with complete spinal cord paralysis.