Now Blind Americans Can ‘See’ With Device Atop Their Tongues
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A new device that helps the blind “see” by using their tongues has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The BrainPort V100, cleared for 250,000 profoundly blind Americans without sensitivity to light, will cost about $10,000, said Robert Beckman, chief executive officer of closely held Wicab Inc. The three-part device captures images with a camera mounted on sunglasses, routes them through a hand-held controller and sends them to a 1-inch square device containing 400 electrical stimulation points that rests on the user’s tongue.