Development of a tongue machine interface for quadriplegic patients

This article presents the development and validation of a wheelchair mobility solution. The solution is based on a Tongue Machine Interface (TMI) involving the use of Force Sensing Resistors (FSRs). The semantics and functionality of the development are compared with two other interfaces: a Joystick and a Brain Computer Interface (BCI) implemented on the same wheelchair. Each development is described from the electric, mechanic and informatic domains. Surveys and user’s tests were performed in order to explore which technology had a more positive impact on the mobility of quadriplegic persons in terms of effectiveness, better ergonomics, lower costs and better functionality. The quantitative and qualitative results are described and analyzed.