Mind Controlled Robot no more a Myth

A noninvasive mind-controlled robot is on its way to touch our lives and make them smarter. A research team from (CMU) Carnegie Mellon University is narrowing the gap between the brain implant method which is very expensive, risky and the other is using a device to sense brain waves. 

The team proposed a method through a paper published on Wednesday(26/06/2019) in the journal of Science Robotics. This paper shows how they used the combination of sensing and Machine Learning techniques to create a Brain-Computer Interface(BCI) that could reach signals deep within the brains of participants wearing EEG head caps.

A grand challenge in BCI research is to develop less invasive or even totally noninvasive technology that would allow paralyzed patients to control their environment or robotic limbs using their own “thoughts.” Such noninvasive BCI technology, if successful, would bring such much-needed technology to numerous patients and even potentially to the general population.

The technology also has applications that could help a variety of people, by offering safe, noninvasive “mind control” of devices that can allow people to interact with and control their environments. The technology has, to date, been tested in 68 able-bodied human subjects (up to 10 sessions for each subject), including virtual device control and controlling of a robotic arm for continuous pursuit. The technology is directly applicable to patients, and the team plans to conduct clinical trials in the near future.

Supported By:

This work was supported in part by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, and National Institute of Mental Health.