Source: Science Web

Future, deaf people will not need a cochlear implant, with their mouth will be able to hear the sound. At least Colorado researchers think so, they developed can bypass the ear hearing device. The technology relies on a Bluetooth headset to detect sound and send electrical pulses to the electrodes of the capacitor package, the device wearer tongue pressed to listen to the sound. Associate professor at Colorado State University, John Williams said: "It is much simpler than surgery, but much cheaper than the cost of a cochlear implant."

Professor Williams produced the idea because of his so-called "research midlife crisis", he has continued tinnitus. He suddenly thought of hundreds of thousands of nerves on the tongue, the brain interpret tactile information from the tongue region has the ability to decode complex information. The principle of a cochlear implant is a microphone to detect sound outside the ear, and will send it to the language processor, language processors will analyze the information and then transmit the information to the receiver, which then converts it into electrical impulses. The implant sends electrical impulses directly to the auditory nerve. After training, the brain learn to recognize the sound of these pulses as useful information.

University of Colorado equipment operates with the same principle, only the electric pulse is sent to a tongue like a capacitor contact electrode device via Bluetooth. When a user touching their tongue device, they will feel different electrical pulse mode, such as tingling and vibration. Principle is explained that the sentence will be through training the brain in different modes, thus enabling people to listen with his tongue.

This concept may be a bit far-fetched. Experts from a range of vocal black line sonographic identification of specific words. Blind also read the sentence from hurriedly. Their initial results are encouraging people, allowing them to apply for patents. They will be handed over to SapienLLC technology companies to help improve the technology.

Professor Williams and his team believe that, once the device production is completed, the technology will subvert their hearing aids in the world.