Emoticons, or the so-called "emoji", which are widely spread on smart applications, have also become a means of communication between people, even replacing some words and expressions.
From sad crying face to laughing, space rockets, flags and many more, there is an emoji for almost everything, making it easier for users to express what is on their mind in the simplest way.
But it seems that this is not the only benefit of the "emoji", as a number of doctors have suggested using it to help stroke patients or those who use ventilators to express their symptoms.
Strange idea
This bizarre idea was proposed by University of California scientist Kendrick Davis when he has been designing an emoji-based measurement system for the past two years.
He explained that it could be a useful tool for patients who cannot speak, according to what was written in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
He also indicated that emoji have universal appeal, as he put it, and their use can go beyond levels of education, language and age, indicating that they are a bridge for communication.
Develop a global language system
In addition, the American scientist said that "emoji" are easily used in communication and only a few people, such as the visually impaired, use them.
He called on medical societies to come together to agree on a comprehensive set of internationally recognized and understood symbols, according to what was reported by the "Daily Mail" website.
He also noted that promoting effective communication between patients and caregivers could lead to the development of a universal language system based on emojis with a common agreement of meanings.
It is noteworthy that emoji is a Japanese term meaning ideograms, that is, symbols from graphic art that represent an idea and the faces used in electronic messages and web pages.