Losing the use of all your limbs must be one of the most debilitating and scary challenges anyone can face. Gradually, however, progress in technology is finding new ways to offer paraplegic sufferers as least some degree of independence.
One such innovation comes in the form of a revolutionary new wheelchair steering device. Developed by scientists in Germany, it allows people with severe mobility impairment to steer using just their ears.
The innovative chip is fitted to the wheelchair user’s head and detects muscular movements or pulses in the ear. From the movements, a signal is converted to a computer which then allows the wheelchair to move.
Three of Germany’s top universities were involved in the project. David Liebetanz, who led the researchers, comments: “The advantage this has over breathing or eye movement to make wheelchairs move is that people don’t have to give up looking or speaking to use it.”
Learning to Communicate
There were ten participants involved in the initial trial. Each spent five days learning how to use the muscles in their ears to communicate with the specialist software.
David continues: “By day five, all ten participants had managed to navigate their wheelchairs around the main building of a hospital in Goettingen because they learned to wiggle their ears.”
The results of the trials were relatively surprising to the researchers as many of the participants had previously claimed that they couldn’t move their ears.
Wheelchair Technology
“The results from our clinical trial have exceeded our expectations,” David said. “This new technology can make a real difference to people with serious spinal cord injuries who can no longer use their arms and legs.”
What do you think of this new technology? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
