Tongue View

While leaving your hands free for other things.

Your tongue provides much sensory input yet it is underutilized for those who are blind or (come to think of it) deaf.

The device consists of a number electronically controlled of pistons that rest on the roof of your mouth much like a retainer in a device that looks much like a retainer.

The topography of the device on the roof of your mouth changes with the information it is trying to display about your surroundings. For example, it could display braille letters in one portion of your mouth while showing off a simple walking route. It could use Sun Microsystems Jini system and talk to nearby crossing lights giving you crossing information. It could also display the weather or time in braille.

Future or other versions could come with a head mounted sonic imaging device that would display simple information like barriers or moving objects in relation to ones person. They could also use varying degrees of temperature or vibration to display information.

For deaf people the vibration could come from different quadrants as an output device to help you determine where various sound input came from, for example if someone shouts your name behind you.