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Washington: A new device that uses a magnet implant the size of a grain of rice can help disabled people steer a wheelchair using only the tip of the tongue, US researchers reported on Monday.
The magnet lets people direct the movement of a cursor across a computer screen, the team at the Georgia Institute of Technology said.
"We chose the tongue to operate the system because unlike hands and feet, which are controlled by the brain through the spinal cord, the tongue is directly connected to the brain by a cranial nerve that generally escapes damage in severe spinal cord injuries or neuromuscular diseases," said Maysam Ghovanloo, an assistant professor who helped direct the work.
A headset with magnetic field sensors detects the magnetic tracer on the tongue and transmits wireless signals to a portable computer.
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