BrainPort is fascinating. Your tongue can help you regain some spacial awareness and even read large words. Crazy!
This post covers the new BrainPort system from Wicab, Inc.: a wearable camera + mouthpiece device that lets blind or visually-impaired users “see” by translating camera input into electrical pulses on the tongue. It’s a clever workaround: the tongue has a dense network of sensory nerves, so it can serve as a substitute input channel.
The analysis here: This tech shifts the problem from “fixing the eyes” to “repurposing other body parts” — a bold design choice that wonders “what is vision anyway?” More practically, the device promises non-invasive assistive support (no implants) and could be available commercially soon, but it still faces real world constraints (resolution, training time, cost).
What stands out is that the device embodies a minimalist but radical approach: instead of reconstructing a full retinal pipeline, it gives spatial cues and object outlines via tongue stimuli. That may not replace natural sight, but it might offer meaningful independent mobility or awareness to users. The dry joke: for once “tongue-in-cheek” is literal tech talk.
Read more on Engadget.
