June 6, 2008

A device which helps you keep your balance

For people who for one reason or another have trouble in keeping their balance, this can be a serious problem and actually have life changing consequences. But thanks to researchers from the TIMC labs which are located near Grenoble in France may have the answer.

They have come up a sensor that using the sensitive underside of the tongue to transmit electrical impulses, this will help the brain sense the way that the person is moving and then can make the tiny adjustments needed to prevent the loss of balance.

During trials the researchers used patients with back problems, when they become tired, they then lose balance. The tongue sensor was able to correct the balance from the movement of the feet and when the sensor was using data from the ankle the same happened there.

Source [New Scientist]