Georgia Institute of Technology researchers have developed a tongue-driven system for severely disabled individuals that lets them operate a computer, control a powered wheelchair, and interact with their environments simply by moving their tongues.

The system uses a rice-grain-sized magnet implanted in or attached to the tongue. Movement of the magnet is detected by an array of magnetic field sensors mounted on a headset outside the mouth or on an orthodontic brace inside the mouth.

The system can capture a large number of tongue movements, each linked to a different user command. Software connects the system to communication tools such as text generators, speech synthesizers and readers.

The researchers chose the tongue because it is directly connected to the brain by a cranial nerve that generally escapes damage in severe spinal cord injuries or neuromuscular diseases.

Georgia Institute of Technology Research News Release