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Researchers in MIT's Sensory Communication Group are working on a new generation of devices that translate sound waves to vibrations as a means of aiding the deaf.
According to a MIT news release, tactile devices-which translate sound waves into vibrations that can be felt by the skin-can help convey nuances of speech that can't be gleaned from lip reading.
The devices could be an important tool for deaf people who rely on lip reading and can't use or can't afford cochlear implants. The cost of the device and the surgery make cochlear implants prohibitive for many people, especially in developing countries, according to the release.
Those involved with the project say the software they are developing could be compatible with current smart phones, allowing such devices to be transformed into unobtrusive tactile aids for the deaf.
The research is funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.
For more information, http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2009/deaf-touch-0226.html.
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