Israeli reasearchers have developed a device that translates soft-palate movement into electrical signals, enabling quadriplegics and patients suffering from "locked-in syndrome" to communicate and operate machinery by sniffing. The device registers nasal pressure changes as the soft palate moves, taking advantage of the fact that in even in cases of severe disability, cranial nerves are often still able to send messages to the back of the roof of the mouth.
In a study recently published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, patients who suffered from "locked-in syndrome," in which they are aware of their environment but can't respond, were able to communicate. For example, a 51-year-old stroke patient who was locked in for seven months was able to use the sniff controller to write a message to her family, the first since she’d suffered the stroke.
Disabled people were also able to use the sniffing device to navigate wheelchairs along a 115-foot path, including several turns. Though the researchers believe that most users could breathe without accidentally executing sniff commands, the controller could also be programmed with safety features to prevent unintentional activation of the wheelchair.
Via MSN HealthDay.
Ms. Graham is a writer and editor with a current focus on health and wellness. To read more of her articles, please visit her columnist page.Edited by
Erin Monda