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

[Mike Freeman]

I would rather doubt it!

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James Pepper" <b75205 at gmail.com>
To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, December 18, 2009 8:26 AM
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Fwd: Article: blindness licked by new tecnology


>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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