[gui-talk] Fwd: Article: blindness licked by new tecnology

[James Pepper]

I was at a Christmas party and this lady was telling us about a lady she
knew who lost sight in one eye and they were worried about her loosing the
sight in the other eye due to sympathetic shock.  I was wondering if this
device for seeing with tongues could be used to stop the effects of
sympathetic shock and enable the other eye to function properly.  I would
like to know who should I contact on this idea.

I thought that Steve Pattison wrote something on this and I remembered this
email.

Sincerely,

James G. Pepper

On Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 7:43 AM, Steve Pattison <srp at internode.on.net>wrote:

>  From:  Ross de Vent ross at de-vent.net
>  To:      vip-l vip-l at softspeak.com.au
>
> A groundbreaking electronic device will allow blind people to "see" using
> their tongues, scientists have claimed.
>
> The extraordinary technology takes pictures filmed by a tiny camera and
> turns the information into electrical pulses which can be felt on the
> tongue.
>
> Tests show that the nerves send messages to the brain which turn these
> tingles back into pictures.
>
> People using the device, which resembles a pair of sunglasses attached by
> cable to a plastic lollipop, say that with fewer than 20 hours training
> they
> can make out shapes and even read signs.
>
> Scientists say learning to picture images felt on the tongue is similar to
> learning to ride a bike.
>
> The BrainPort vision device is expected to be available for sale later this
> year.
>
> It collects visual data through a small digital video camera about 2.5cm in
> diameter that sits in the middle of a pair of sunglasses worn by the user.
>
> This information is transmitted to a hand-held control unit, which is about
> the size of a mobile phone.
>
> The unit converts the digital signal into electrical pulses and sends this
> to the tongue via the lollipop that sits on the tongue.
>
> The lollipop contains a grid of 600 electrodes, which pulsate according to
> how much light is in that area of the picture.
>
> The control unit allows users to zoom in and out and control light settings
> and electric shock intensity.
>
> William Seiple, research director at Lighthouse International, which has
> been testing it, said:"At first, I was amazed at what the device could do.
> One guy started to cry when he saw his first letter."
>
> Robert Beckman, president of US-based Wicab which is developing the
> BrainPort, said: "It enables blind people to gain perception of their
> surroundings, displayed on their tongue.
>
> "They cannot necessarily read a book but they can read a sign."
>
> Mr Beckman envisages the device being used to improve people's mobility and
> safety.
>
> Regards Steve
> Email:  srp at internode.on.net
> MSN Messenger:  internetuser383 at hotmail.com
> Skype:  steve1963
> Twitter:  steve9782
>
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