Development and functional demonstration of a wireless intraoral inductive tongue computer interface for severely disabled persons.
Individuals with tetraplegia depend on alternative interfaces in order to control computers and other electronic equipment. Current interfaces are often limited in the number of available control commands, and may compromise the social identity of an individual due to their undesirable appearance. The purpose of this study was to implement an alternative computer interface, which was fully embedded into the oral cavity and which provided multiple control commands.



The development of a wireless, intraoral, inductive tongue computer was described. The interface encompassed a 10-key keypad area and a mouse pad area. This system was embedded wirelessly into the oral cavity of the user. The functionality of the system was demonstrated in two tetraplegic individuals and two able-bodied individuals Results: The system was invisible during use and allowed the user to type on a computer using either the keypad area or the mouse pad. The maximal typing rate was 1.8 s for repetitively typing a correct character with the keypad area and 1.4 s for repetitively typing a correct character with the mouse pad area.



The results suggest that this inductive tongue computer interface provides an esthetically acceptable and functionally efficient environmental control for a severely disabled user. Implications for Rehabilitation New Design, Implementation and detection methods for intra oral assistive devices. Demonstration of wireless, powering and encapsulation techniques suitable for intra oral embedment of assistive devices. Demonstration of the functionality of a rechargeable and fully embedded intra oral tongue controlled computer input device.
a Department of Health Science and Technology, Center for Sensory Motor Interaction , Aalborg University , Aalborg , Denmark.
Lotte
L
N S Andreasen Struijk
a Department of Health Science and Technology, Center for Sensory Motor Interaction , Aalborg University , Aalborg , Denmark.
Eugen R
ER
Lontis
b Department of Otolaryngology , Head and Neck Surgery, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark and Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University , Denmark.
Michael
0000-0001-6998-2506
M
Gaihede
c Certec, Deptartment of Design Sciences , Lund University , Lund , Sweden.
Hector A
HA
Caltenco
a Department of Health Science and Technology, Center for Sensory Motor Interaction , Aalborg University , Aalborg , Denmark.
Morten Enemark
0000-0001-9920-4051
ME
Lund
d Department of Electronic Systems , Aalborg University , Aalborg , Denmark.
Henrik
H
Schioeler
a Department of Health Science and Technology, Center for Sensory Motor Interaction , Aalborg University , Aalborg , Denmark.
Bo
B
Bentsen
D000328:Adult; D003143:Communication Devices for People with Disabilities; D016287:Computer Peripherals; D003201:Computers; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008328:Man-Machine Systems; D008875:Middle Aged; D011782:Quadriplegia / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D012984:Software; D014059:Tongue; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D059015:Wireless Technology
Tongue computer interfaces; environmental control; neuro rehabilitation; tetraplegia