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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.'"

28 of 207 comments (clear)

  1. Flavors? by bluelip · · Score: 4, Funny

    With extended use, this thing better have some nice flavors available to combat my gag reflex. I suppose one could get used to having something in their mouth constantly, but so far I've only grown accustomed to pen caps.

    --

    Yep, I never spell check.
    More incorrect spellings can be found he
    1. Re:Flavors? by MindStalker · · Score: 4, Funny

      Apparently this is being used with the NAVY. Who are already used to having something in their mouth.. Seriously thats what the article in my local paper said.. // It actually said NAVY Seals, and was refering to their diving equipment having an additional tongue sensor thingy. But its still funny.

  2. That's the career for me by aqfire · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sounds like there's a lot more tongue-probing in science than IT. I'm switching fields.

  3. I'll bet by iminplaya · · Score: 5, Funny

    he's a real cunning linguist.

    --
    What?
    1. Re:I'll bet by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Funny
      ...and a Master of Tung-Fu.

      OK, OK, I'm leaving. Sorry about that...

    2. Re:I'll bet by cayenne8 · · Score: 5, Funny
      ""A cunning linguist" and a master debater!!!"

      Not me, I'm a vagitarian....

      --
      Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
  4. Use of the tongue eh? by irablum · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well, my wife seems to find uses for my tongue. but she's no scientist.....

    Ira

    1. Re:Use of the tongue eh? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny


      why when someone says wife, it never gets a second look. but the minute the word girlfriend comes into play, it gets jumped on.


      The word "girlfriend" implies that you are getting some, which is obviously a lie. "Wife" has no such implication.

    2. Re:Use of the tongue eh? by einexile · · Score: 5, Funny

      I showed this to my girlfriend and my wife's girlfriend and they both agreed you may be onto something.

  5. Turns out The Internet... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...tastes just like chicken.

  6. Full Metal Palate by grimsweep · · Score: 5, Funny

    "We've got incoming bogeys, due vanilla by vanilla-strawberry. And either that was some damn strong cofee this morning, or there's at least twenty of em'!"

    1. Re:Full Metal Palate by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      So now they'll be able to taste victory?

  7. Usage of the tongue by bernywork · · Score: 4, Funny

    Aside from tasting things, there is only one other good use for my tongue, and my girlfriend agrees.

    --
    Curiosity was framed; ignorance killed the cat. -- Author unknown
    1. Re:Usage of the tongue by Gorm+the+DBA · · Score: 5, Funny

      Why is your girlfriend so caring about your ability to test 9 volt batteries to see if they're still live?

    2. Re:Usage of the tongue by Qzukk · · Score: 4, Funny

      Somebody's gotta do it, and she absolutely refuses to give it a try?

      --
      If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
    3. Re:Usage of the tongue by c_forq · · Score: 4, Funny

      You can't use your tongue for 1.5 volt batteries! You have to use your mouth! Or at least I haven't figured out how to connect my tongue to both poles without being in danger of swallowing a battery.

      --
      Computers allow humans to make mistakes at the fastest speeds known, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns
    4. Re:Usage of the tongue by tomzyk · · Score: 5, Funny

      Come on; this is Slashdot. We tend not to believe any statements that contain the words "my girlfriend", nor care to hear about what you do in your [imaginary] sexual pasttime.

      (It should be noted that our position on this subject is ENTIRELY reversed if YOU are also female.)

      --
      Karma: NaN
    5. Re:Usage of the tongue by Woy · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'm guessing she doesn't like her vibrator to run out midsession. These are the things that make having a geek boyfriend so great.

      --
      "If God created us in his own image we have more than reciprocated." - Voltaire
  8. I can see it now... by MarkusQ · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can see it now:

    Diver 1: Should we check out this cave?

    Diver 2: Hold back. Something tastes fishy here...

    --MarkusQ
  9. Anal Rage by creysoft · · Score: 5, Funny

    OK, seriously. If I had a name that could in any way be mispronounced as something like "Anal Rage," I'd seriously consider changing it before attempting to do anything noteworthy.

    That said, this is cool tech. I wonder if it could eventually be implemented as a chip implanted in the tongue, communicating wirelessly with a small computer? 15 years from now, instead of our kids getting tongue piercings, they'll all be getting "tongue implants." :P

    --
    Formerly GNU/Anonymous Coward. This message has been determined to cause cancer in laboratory animals.
  10. 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 glueball · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I had the pleasure of trying it about 6 years ago in Dr. Bach-y-Rita's lab. I did not try the tongue--I tried a test rig using a finger. It is totally unlike anything I could imagine. It took about 5 minutes to get the hang of it. I was amazed at how fast I could figure it out.

      The nice thing about the tongue is that is is so *fast* in its connection to the brain, unlike the eyes or ears understanding information.

      There are so many applications for something like this.

    2. 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!

    3. 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.

  11. zap branigan by king-manic · · Score: 5, Funny

    I Taste.. Danger. Kif bring me the mouth wash.

    --
    "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
  12. Sorry by metamatic · · Score: 4, Funny
    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.

    ...a revolutionary technology already being referred to as Anilingus.

    --
    GCHQ Quantum Insert installed. If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak
  13. Either i just ate a donut, or we should turn right by 192939495969798999 · · Score: 5, Funny

    This will lead to some interesting Post-Traumatic Stress disorders in the future. Some poor army guy will take one bite of his eggplant parmesan and dive under the table, all, "INCOMING! AAIEE!"

    --
    stuff |
  14. They have to be kidding! by slashname3 · · Score: 4, Funny

    This does not make a lick of sense.