Paul Bach-y-Rita (1934-),US doctor and biomedical inventor,with his tongue display unit (TDU). Bach-y-Rita and his team at the University of Wisconsin,USA,first developed a sensory aid device for the blind in 1969. This was the tactile vision substitution system (TVSS),it allowed an image from a camera to be transmitted as electrical impulses to the skin of a blind person,enabling them to 'see' the image. This was developed into the TDU,which transmits the impulses to the tongue,a more effective conductor and a more sensitive organ. As well as the blind,the device will also be able to help deep sea divers,firefighters and search and rescue teams |