Controlling things by using ones brain, how often has this been a dream? There are those who atleast create the illusion of doing so and then there are the ones like Charles Xavier from who have the power and use it for good. Well, researchers in China have also followed the good path and have developed a mind-controlled car.
Controlling things by using ones brain, how often has this been a dream? There are those who atleast create the illusion of doing so and then there are the ones like Charles Xavier from who have the power and use it for good. Well, researchers in China have also followed the good path and have developed a mind-controlled car.
Developed by researchers in the north-east port city of Tianjin, this is the country's first car that uses nothing but brain power to drive. The research team from Nankai University, in the north-eastern Chinese port city of Tianjin, has spent two years bringing the mind-controlled vehicle to reality.
By wearing brain signal-reading equipment a driver can control the car to go forward, backwards, come to a stop, and both lock and unlock the vehicle, all without moving their hands or feet.
The equipment comprises of 16 sensors that capture EEG (electroencephalogram) signals from the driver's brain. A computer program that selects the relevant signals and translates them, enabling control of the car.
"The tester's EEG signals are picked up by this (brain signal-reading) equipment and transmitted wirelessly to the computer. The computer processes the signals to categorize and recognize people's intention, then translates them into control command to the car. The core of the whole flow is to process the EEG signals, which is done on the computer," Researcher Zhang Zhao told Reuters.
The project has been led by Associate Professor Duan Feng, from the university's College of Computer and Control Engineering, who emphasized that the technology is aimed at better serving human beings, and that it might soon be possible to combine brain controlled technology and driverless cars, such as the Google Self Driving Car (SDC).
The researchers say their initial idea was inspired by helping disabled people who are physically unable to steer cars. "There are two starting points of this project. The first one is to provide a driving method without using hands or feet for the disabled who are unable to move freely; and secondly, to provide healthy people with a new and more intellectualized driving mode," Zhang said.
However, there lies the fear of potential road accidents caused by the driver being distracted because concentration was needed only when changing the vehicle's moving status, i.e. changing lanes or turning. There are still a lot of wrongs to be undone and that’s one reason why you won’t see this technology make it to production just yet. It’s an innovative idea no doubt but you can control something with your brain but how do you control your brain? Penny for your thoughts.
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