Brain-Controlled Wheelchair: For Real?
And I thought voice command was cool.
The BSI-TOYOTA Collaboration Center (RIKEN, Toyota Motor Corporation, Toyota Central R&D Labs, and Genesis Research Institute) announced yesterday that it has developed a system that successfully uses brainwaves to control a wheelchair.
Applications are aimed at rehabilitation, assisting the elderly and those using wheelchairs. The company is improving on its electrodes and anticipates the possibility of expanding the system to analyze brainwaves from various mental states and emotions.
This goes way beyond changing the song on the car radio or dialing your cell phone with a few words. It’s telekinesis in action. Ooh , the power and the possibilities!
The brain machine interface technology is one of the fastest in the world, reacting in as little as 125 milliseconds, and analyzes brainwaves using “signal process technology” commanding smooth forward motion and left and right turns.
The data is displayed in real time so drivers feel no delay and operate the vehicle efficiently and have done so thus far with 95% accuracy.
Check out the video from BBC News below:
No info on when the technology would hit the market, but it’s obvious how that would benefit so many people, not to mention how the system could advance other daily activities.
I’m fascinated and cautious at the thought of the BMI system reading and reacting to emotions though. There’s gotta be a safety filter or censor system in place when that arrives, for obvious reasons.
Sources: Toyota, Computerworld. BBC News
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