A new device to help the blind see has been developed by

scientists. After a few days practicing people, who

otherwise couldnt see, were able to make out shapes, read
signs and even read letters. This amazing new device may
help people to interact with their environment in ways
never before experiences. It has replaced the technology of
eye transplantation to some extent. The only we need is to
know how to communicate with world with this device.

BRAIN PORT DEVICE

 An electric lollipop that allows the blind to see using their tongue
has been developed by scientists.
The machine is called the Brain Port vision
device and is manufactured by Wicab, a
biomedical engineering Company.
It relies on sensory substitution, the process in
which if one sense is damaged, the part of the
brain that would normally control that sense can
learn to perform another function.
About two million optic nerves are required to transmit visual
signals from the retina the portion of the eye where light information
is decoded or translated into nerve pulses to the brains primary
visual cortex.
BRAIN PORT DEVICE

The extraordinary tasting device converts images captured by a tiny

camera into a series of electrical tingles, which can be felt on the tongue.
The tingles are then sent to the brain through nerves which then converts
the tingles into pictures. Nerves then send these messages to the brain,
which turn the tingles back into pictures. The electric lollipop or Brain Port
captures images using a tiny camera and then converts the image into tiny
tingles on the tongue.
WHY KNOWN AS TASTING DEVICE ?
Other than normal use of tongue for tasting food, eating, talking there
are also many other uses. One of them is for sensing of light. It is called
as tasting because it can taste the light and sense the objects. It is this
property which is used in brain port device.

BRAIN PORT DEVICE

With Brain Port, visual data are collected

through a small digital video camera.
Camera on the forehead captures the image
& video output is sent to a processor.
Processor translates output from camera
into a pattern of electronic pulses replacing
the mechanism of retina.
Besides processing we can adjust the zoom
level, intensity of the image, shock intensity
and can control the voltage level here
The processor convert the image
information to electronic pulse and send it to
electrode array
BRAIN PORT DEVICE

Array of electrodes a little over an inch square, stimulate receptor

cells on the surface of the tongue to the Brain i.e., Tactile or touch
receptors on the tongue send impulses to the somatosensory
cortex in response to stimulation.
Our tongue senses the signal just like it sense the taste of the food
and send the signal to brain through nerves
Hence it cant see what is around but can sense and understand
the objects around it

BRAIN PORT DEVICE

Camera: It a small digital video camera about 1.5 centimetres in

diameter that sits in the center of a pair of sunglasses worn by the
user.

Array of electrodes a little over an inch square stimulate receptor

cells on the surface of the tongue to the Brain i.e., Tactile or touch
receptors on the tongue send impulses to the somatosensory cortex in
response to stimulation.

CPU: This unit houses such features as zoom control, light settings
and shock intensity levels as well as a central processing unit (CPU),
which converts the digital signal into electrical pulses replacing the
function of the retina.

BRAIN PORT DEVICE

Using the unique resources of the DOE national

laboratories in materials sciences, micro fabrication,
microelectrode construction, photochemistry and
computer modelling, the projects goal is to construct the
device, capable of restoring vision, with materials that will
last for the lifetime of a blind person. Just as blind people
read words by touching Braille bumps, some are now able
to see objects via a special lollipop that stimulates their
taste buds.

BRAIN PORT DEVICE