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Scientists Probe the Use of the Tongue

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the tongue-warriors-of-the-future dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Yahoo! News is reporting that in the military's continuing search for better sensory input they have started looking at the tongue as a 'superior transmitter'. From the article: 'A narrow strip of red plastic connects the Brain Port to the tongue where 144 microelectrodes transmit information through nerve fibers to the brain. Instead of holding and looking at compasses and bluky-hand-held sonar devices, the divers can processes the information through their tongues, said Dr. Anil Raj, the project's lead scientist.'"

8 of 207 comments (clear)

  1. Seeing is believing by Analogy+Man · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This is truly one technology that would require first hand experience to have much comment. If I am receiving some input that registers in the vision centers of my brain how does that interact with my regular vision. Over 38 years of moving about I have managed to coordinate my senses and motor skills. If I had a rear view of some kind in addition to my regular binocular vision how what would that experience be like? Would it make me dizzy?

    --
    When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.
    1. Re:Seeing is believing by gwiner · · Score: 5, Interesting

      To actually experience this, yes, you need to try it. But try this experiment: I'd wager that if you try moving your tounge about your teeth, and really pay attention, you'll notice a surprising amount of detail about their surface: where there are gaps, ridges, smoothed, pitted, etc. When you happen to find a particularly interesting spot, take a look in the mirror at what you've pinpointed with your tounge. You'll be surprised to see how tiny and insignificant the detail is when visually inspected. If you really focus, you can actually visualize what your mouth looks like just from your tounge. This shows you a simple but surprising fact about your tounge: you can perceive increadible detail with it. I could imagine how a sensitive electrode grid could easily simulate images directly on the tounge after trying that experiment. This is quite an amazing idea!

    2. Re:Seeing is believing by glueball · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Here's a simile (maybe a metaphore)

      When I first heard about it and imagined what it would be like, I thought "huh. A new way to see something"

      Remember the first time you typed on a keyboard? It was slow, awkward, and you had to think about it. After a while, you because a faster typist. Less thinking. Then it becomes *part*of*you* and you can type 60 wpm. I type very fast, but I kid-you-not, I could not tell you where the keys are from memory. The keyboard has become part of me.

      Describe what it is like (and how) to type fast to a person who has never seen a keyboard.

      Now you have an idea of what I am trying to describe with my time trying this device.

  2. I love the taste of napalm in the morning by nihilistcanada · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one delicious' dink body. The taste, you know that gasoline taste, the whole hill. Tasted like... victory. Someday this war's gonna end... ....and then I am going to Red Lobster for their all you can eat shrimp feast!

  3. Re:Wouldn't another appendage be better suited? by DNSJohn · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Nah, that wont work. Besides, hooking electrodes up to that already gets PETA upset when they do it to tigers and leopards... :->

  4. Help for people with NF2? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    From the article:
    In testing, blind people found doorways, noticed people walking in front of them and caught balls. A version of the device, expected to be commercially marketed soon, has restored balance to those whose vestibular systems in the inner ear were destroyed by antibiotics.

    As a someone with NF2 (http://nfinc.org/nf2.shtml), both of my vestibular organs were destroyed in life-saving operations, so this presents some hope to me.

  5. Re:Serious comment by slashname3 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    But if you cough of sneeze you erase and format your systems hard drives. Or worse you launch the missles.

    As for the input side of it a cold would lock you out of the system as would any good hot wings.

    Some how I don't think they have thought this one all the way through.

  6. Mass Media Applications by Etherwalk · · Score: 2, Interesting

    When they get this working for movies and gaming, it's going to be incredible. Not only manufactured taste, but scent. (I recall they were working on scent detection some years ago at Caltech, and I've seen it mentioned a few places since, I think both on the detection and generation side.) But imagine a gaming experience that can invoke smell...

    Of course, they'll probably hesitate to use the technology during war films or movies about skunks. In fact, they'll probably accidentally use it with a movie about skunks first, to show realism, and it can be the power glove of the next generation... (An idea that could work wonderfully, but really fails to deliver right the first time and isn't marketed again for twenty years)