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

[James Pepper]

Well its worth looking into.  Why not?

James

On Fri, Dec 18, 2009 at 11:14 AM, Mike Freeman <k7uij at panix.com> wrote:

> 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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