Lifeline for paralysed patients as ‘exciting’ tech allows tongue to operate wheelchairs

The problem with all of these controllers, however, is that they were developed many decades ago and have not fundamentally been upgraded since, leading to many compatibility issues with other forms of technology.

Furthermore, being built into a power wheelchair, they cannot be employed to control other devices when the user is instead elsewhere — such as in bed or sitting on a couch.

To address this, researchers led by the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta have developed a cutting-edge control device known as MagTrack that can be used to both drive power wheelchairs but also operate connected devices like smartphones, tablets, other computers and automated door openers.

MagTrack, the team said, is both wireless and wearable, and can be adapted according to each user’s specific needs.

Article source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1583131/wheelchair-smartphone-easier-control-paralysis-patients-tech