This Mouthguard Integrates Smart Technology to Allow Device Operation Through Tongue and Teeth Inputs
Introduction to Technological Advances
Recent technological innovations have led to the creation of various electronic devices aimed at enhancing quality of life and aiding daily tasks. Traditionally, these devices are controlled through touch screens, keyboards, mice and other hand-based interfaces.
Development of the Smart Mouthguard
New Technology by the National University of Singapore
The National University of Singapore researchers have unveiled a smart mouthguard capable of controlling devices via oral gestures, eliminating the need for hand-based interaction. According to their paper in Nature Electronics, this device holds promise for dental data collection and could aid in tracking athletic recovery and performance enhancements.
Objective of the Research
"Touchscreens and voice recognition systems can be difficult to use in some contexts or for people with restricted hand capabilities. Our goal was to design an interface that is more flexible and user-friendly, leveraging the precise and low-fatigue movements of the tongue and teeth."
Design and Functionality of the Device
Features of the Tactile Oral Pad (O-pad)
The recent research led by Liu and his team aimed to overcome the limitations of existing human-computer interfaces by designing an adaptable, mouth-worn device. This minimally invasive solution allows for sophisticated device control. Their innovation resulted in the tactile oral pad (O-pad), incorporating tactile sensor arrays, flexible circuits, and AI technology.
Operation of the Smart Mouthguard
The smart mouthguard is equipped with soft, sensitive sensors that empower users to undertake tasks like typing, gaming, and wheelchair navigation by using their tongue and teeth movements, replacing conventional touch screen gestures.
Technical Details
"The tactile oral pad we designed operates much like a touchscreen, such as an iPad, but is controlled via tongue movements and teeth bites," Liu explained.
"The device features a carbon nanotube-silicone composite sensor array embedded within a flexible, biocompatible pad designed to fit comfortable in the mouth. Tongue movements across the pad replicate the swiping actions of a finger on a touchscreen, while biting down on the pad simulates a mouse click."
Applications and Future Prospects
Potential Uses
The researcher's wearable device recognizes swiping motions of the tongue and pressure from the teeth using a sensor array. Its light, flexible, and cost-effective design paves the way for commercialization and practical applications.
"Our device offers complex control capabilities through the combined use of tongue and teeth motions," said Liu.
Enhanced Control and Efficiency
"The device's dual-action capability empowers users to execute tasks like typing, gaming and wheelchair navigation with remarkable precision and ease. The integration of Recurrent Neural Network (RNNs) boosts its efficiency in recognizing patterns, translating tongue and tooth movements into highly accurate control commands."
Broader Applications
The smart mouthgurad developed by Liu and his team offers broad potential applications. Primarily, it could enable individuals with physical disabilities to interact with electronic devices effortlessly, such as autonomously composing text messages, answering calls, navigating a wheelchair, or browsing the web.
"This technology could be beneficial in situations where standard input methods are unfeasible, like sterile operating rooms or high-risk contamination zones," said Liu.
Additional Potential Uses
The tactile O-pad developed by the team could also find applications in dentistry, assisting in monitoring dental health, as well as in speech therapy and sports, where it could track recovery or assess motor coordination. Additionally, the device may offer a novel form of bio-metric identification, allowing users to securely access their devices or accounts using their teeth.
Future Directions
Planned Enhancements
"Moving forward, we aim to enhance the tactile oral pad by refining the sensor array, allowing for even more intricate movements tracking and broadening its range of applications," Liu added.
Ongoing Developments
"We are also focused on improving the comfort and wearability of the device for prolonged use and investigating its applications in prosthetic's control and robotics. Additionally, we plan to conduct extensive clinical trials to assess its practicality and effectiveness in real-world scenarios, especially for individuals with severe mobility limitations."
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