Blind people can see with the help of their tongue: Here is how
Our tongue is one of the most interesting organs of our body. From being the most flexible muscle, to lending a unique tongue print to each of us, this indispensable part of our body offers much more than you could possibly imagine. Did you know that apart from providing access to the beautiful world of flavours, it can also enable blind people to see? Yes, you read it right! A device called the 'BrainPort', developed in the late 20th century, helps users to ‘see’ by ‘tasting’ light. Curious to know more? Let's dig deeper!
We see with our brain, not eyes!
Paul Bach-y-Rita was the neuroscientist who developed the BrainPort. If you read the science behind vision, you will learn that when light falls on our eyes, it is sent as electrical signals to the brain. The brain then processes the image and allows us to ‘see’. Based on this concept, Paul Bach-y-Rita developed the BrainPort in 1998. Currently, this device is manufactured by a biomedical engineering company, Wicab Inc, in Wisconsin, United States.
How does BrainPort work?
BrainPort comes with a pair of sunglasses in which a tiny camera of about 1.5 cm diameter is attached in the centre, a handheld device and a sensor, placed in the tongue. So, imagine this device as a black-coloured wafer that sits on your tongue.
First, the camera transfers what is seen by the handheld device via a wire. This device then translates the image and sends the information to the sensor placed on the tongue. This information is sent via the nerve cells present on the tongue in the form of extremely tiny shocks that feel like 'soda bubbles.' So, you can say that using the BrainPort device, one can ‘taste light’ and ‘sense objects’.
Your brain is the hero here! It collects the shocks sent by the sensor from the tongue and then interprets what was recorded by the camera, finally producing a simple image! For now, the images captured by BrainPort do not look exactly like normal vision. They are black and white images. However, with more advancements in technology, it will indeed develop better images and allow the blind to experience the world's beauty in colour.
Why is the tongue used in BrainPort?
Now you must be wondering why scientists thought of using the tongue as a sensor. Well, other body parts were less sensitive to the device than the tongue. Though fingertips are more sensitive, they were not preferred. This is because fingers are needed to grab things. Therefore, placing a device on the tongue would free your hands, and the device remains hidden in your mouth. Another reason for choosing the tongue was that it is constantly moist due to the saliva which makes it a good conductor of electricity. Also, our fingers are covered with a layer of dead cells. So, they would require ten times more electrical stimulation than the tongue to produce images.
BrainPort in the real world
Your brain needs some training to understand and process the information the device receives. But, with good practice, once can use this device effectively. American adventurer Erik Weihenmayer, the first visually impaired person to visit the peak of Mount Everest in 2001, turned completely blind at the young age of 13 due to a genetic condition. However, with the help of BrainPort and constant practice, he started identifying objects around him and reading signs. Unbelievable, right?