For people with limited or no hand mobility, this Israeli innovation puts the power of the tongue to good use.
By United with Israel Staff
The Israeli company Tongo has created the first tongue-based operating system, called Smart Brace, for people with limited use of their hands. The device, placed in the user’s mouth, can help tens of millions of people worldwide achieve greater functionality and independence.
Smart Brace is set to change the lives of people suffering from a wide range of maladies that cause limited finger or hand movement. These include spinal cord injury, stroke, neurological disorders and more. Not only does it help the mobility of the disabled, but it can also unlock the digital world that is near impossible to navigate without the use of hands.
Founded by Matan Berkowitz, an award-winning inventor, and Tal Parnass, a bio-medical engineer, the patent-pending device wirelessly controls smartphones, computers, wheelchairs and smart homes.
Until now, there was some success in helping the disabled to function better through the use of voice-activated devices and eye-tracking technology. However, these devices can become tiring or challenging to manipulate.
The tongue, on the other hand, rarely exhausts and usually maintains full function even in those suffering spinal cord injuries and neurological disorders.
The Israeli Innovation Authority helped fund Smart Brace in its early stages of development. The company seeks to expand its functionality into gaming, sports, security, Augmented Reality (AR) and more.