Scientists Developing Mind-Controlled Wheelchair
from the keep-thinking dept
Some European scientists say they're working on a wheelchair that can be controlled by your mind. There have been plenty of stories about mind-controlled machines, but nothing significant seems to have come out of all the research - so it might be a little early to assume that this will really work. Anyway, if you're going to do such things, why stop with a wheelchair? Dean Kamen always pitched the Segway by saying you really just had to "think" where you wanted to go, and it would go. If this technology actually worked, someone could build a Segway-type scooter that really did go where you thought it should go.
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Jerry's kids
It might give a voice to all the do-gooders who went on missions to save all the starving babies in the third world, got blasted by a land mine, turned into a drooling tard, and got put away. Nothing like them telling their tales to de-motivate the next generation of youngsters who want to "die helping".... they won't die. ;-)
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More on Mind control
Your recent article on mind control of a wheelchair was interesting. Actually using mind control, or alternatively using the very small signal that facial muscles put out when you blink, has been used for a number of years by people with disabilities to, for example, control a cursor on a computer or control a simple binary switch.
I am an engineer (mechanical and materials) that now works to help people with disabilities do what they want with technology. Assistive technology they call it.
Some research I found on mind control technology to get you started:
http://www.keelynet.com/biology/mindgame.htm
from 1996
http://okabletech.okstate.edu/computeraccess.htm lots of good information on the problem for people with disabilities, look at #9 mind mouse.
http://www.adaptivation.com/cyberlink_interface.htm The cyberlink interface is one that I have tried myself and have recommended for some people with certain severe disabilities. I have seen the inventor of this give a power point demonstration using only his 'mind' He also says he has equipped a sail boat with this device and can sail without using his hands. When I last checked they had a unit that they would let assistive technology practitioners borrow free for a week or so. That is how I got to use it.
G
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