BrainPort Allows Blind Man to See With His Tongue
A blinded soldier can now "see" by using a new device attached to his tongue.
In 2007, 24-year-old L/Cpl Craig Lundberg was blinded by a rocket propelled grenade in Iraq while serving with the King's Regiment. Roughly three years later, he can "see" again thanks to a device called the BrainPort. Now his tongue serves as his news eyes.
BBC News reports that the BrainPort incorporates a miniature camera-- attached to a pair of glasses-- that converts visual images into a series of electrical pulses. These pulses are then sent directly to L/Cpl Lundberg's tongue, giving off a "pins and needles" sensation via a lollipop-shaped device connected to the camera.
According to L/Cpl Lundberg, it feels like "licking a nine volt battery, or like popping candy," referring to Pop Rocks or other carbonated candy. "You get lines and shapes of things, it sees in black and white so you get a two dimensional image on your tongue," he said.
Currently the BrainPort is merely a prototype, however L/Cpl Lundberg seemed grateful that the Ministry of Defense (MoD) selected him for the trial. Knowing its current limitations, he's optomistic about what the device can do in later stages of development.
So far, the BrainPort has already changed his life. "One of the things it has enabled me to do is pick up objects straight away, I can reach out and pick them up when before I would be fumbling around to feel for them," he said.
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He sees with his tongue, hmm... lesbian pron ftw?
It's ok, I can taste with my eyes.
Buy him some skittles now that he can "taste the rainbow."
Pretty soon will have ports behind ears and a visor with camera (Star Trek, anyone?). This is an awesome first step in that direction.
You people are deranged! This guy has the ability to discern objects, again! Man, that's awesome.
This is such a huge achievement. I can't believe the above three posters, mocking even this.
Good job Brainport! We salute you for doing something revolutionary as this to help those with disabilities. Now if they could only fix hearing-impairedness. (I'm hearing-impaired)
That is pretty impressive, i never would have thought of 'seeing' with your tongue but it just goes to show how well brains can adapt.
But can he play Crysis?
This is awesome... but what are news eyes?
its old technology, but it doesnt make it less awesome
He sees with his tongue, hmm... lesbian pron ftw?
Huh?
Also, it's not only lesbians who are cunning linguists.
Awesome device.
News eyes?
I just love the way tech is pushing ahead these days. I myself have had a life disabling injury through service to my country, and love the act that there are news ways popping up all the time to aid/enhance/fix our way of life. Im over the moon for this guy, and cant wait to hear how he gets on with version 2. I salute you sir!
But can he play Crysis?
As bad as it is, I couldn't help but chuckle a this.
He sees with his tongue, hmm... lesbian pron ftw?
I hate people like you - I bet you didn't even read the article because your brain got tired after you managed to get through the title - and then you made an attempt at humour but instead came off like the total douche you are. Feel sorry for your parents, I am sure they would be very proud if they read your reply to a story like this.
This is stupid of me to ask this but...If he receives the signals by his tongue (right?) and the glasses only provide digital images (right?), does that mean that if a bad only covers his eyes/nose and not his tongue, could he still see outside the bag? if so that makes it even cooler!
Lets hope research and development keeps moving forward.
I think its really great that tech that was scifi only 25 years ago (think Star Trek:TNG's engineer) is now becoming a reality and am so happy to see that we are able to assist those who may have been injured in a way such as the Lance Corporal here.
Can he read or recognize flat surfaces? Could he work with a computer, play a videogame or use a touchscreen phone?
This changed his life, but he will miss out on the newer technologies if he only can see threedimensional imagery.
Of course, 3D displays could fix that...
Hehe, so cool to finally see the beginnings of a real product that does the tongue trick. It's pretty amazing how plastic our brains really are w.r.t. analyzing new data through alternate senses. I don't think it is just limited to 3d, what it's doing is giving b/w shape outlines akin to what you'd get out of your V1/V2 visual cortex. It'd be interesting to see how far we could actually push the detail of image processing that happens through using the tongue. I hope that in not too long we might even be able to forgo using the tongue and hooking straight into the optical nerve!
I'm not really impressed, they hooked up a ball to push out parts of itself to replicate vision in a 64x64 grid, he can't do even basic things like drive.
The current technology is good enough to see most of an image. Thats pretty damn impressive! The only downside I can think of now is not knowing how the person you're having sex with looks like. I guess it could be both a good or a bad thing!
As bad as it is, I couldn't help but chuckle a this.
same xD
I am curious why they can't tap into the optic nerve and send pulses down it. I guess we just can't recreate the signals the actual eye produce to send an image to the brain. Pretty amazing we haven't figure that out yet though...
This is cool but he'll drool alot.
I am curious why they can't tap into the optic nerve and send pulses down it. I guess we just can't recreate the signals the actual eye produce to send an image to the brain. Pretty amazing we haven't figure that out yet though...
Damage to that nerve could be why he's blind to begin with. Or possibly because it's a cranial nerve, it connects directly to the brain. Not wise to start messing with that nerve.
And of course we haven't figured out how to do that as well. What you want figured out is how to link machine and humans. It isn't just simply electrical impluses. But once that is figured out the possiblities are endless.
Amputess with mechanical legs and arms, direct interfacing with machines, cyborgs, the list is endless really.
Go go technology.
i'm not happy because this means the regeneration project failed.
Um, don't you know they already basically attached a digital camera to a guy's brain to allow him to see crudely as if the camera were a cybernetic implant? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/606938.stm
Come on, not invasive, but this is old hat. 10 years old hat. Cruder method too.
Um, don't you know they already basically attached a digital camera to a guy's brain to allow him to see crudely as if the camera were a cybernetic implant? http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science [...] 38.stmCome on, not invasive, but this is old hat. 10 years old hat. Cruder method too.
Ok and what has happened with it since then?
I figured they would have tested it on Levar Burton before anyone else since he's used to it already. =P