A new device that could allow deaf people to hear through their tongues is being developed by a team of scientists from Colorado State University.
The new device will pop into the mouth like a retainer and rely on a Bluetooth-enabled earpiece to detect sound and send electrical impulses to the electrode-packed mouthpiece pressed against the wearer's tongue, according to a CSU issued news release.
The wearer will feel a distinct pattern on their tongue, which with a little bit of training can be interpreted by the brain as words.
"It's much simpler than undergoing surgery and we think it will be a lot less expensive than cochlear implants," John Williams, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the project lead, said in the release.
The scientists are currently mapping the tongue to determine which parts of the tongue are most responsive to electrical impulses so they can arrange the electrodes most effectively in the mouthpiece.
A study is currently being conducted to map the tongues of participants. If the electrodes fall in the same place on the majority of the users the mouthpiece can be created at a standard shape. If not, they will have to be custom made which will drive up the price, according to the release.
The main competition for this device are cohlear implants, which are implanted in a surgical procedure to bypass damaged parts of the ear and directly stimulate the auditory nerve. They aren't suitable for all types of hearing loss and cost about $100,000, according to IFL Science.
"Cochlear implants are very effective and have transformed many lives, but not everyone is a candidate," Williams said in the release. "We think our device will be just as effective but will work for many more people and cost less."
