Technology

Mind-Control Tech Lets Disabled Patients Fly Drones With Their Thoughts

TheBlaze has reported on mind-control technology helping disabled patients perform tasks. We’ve also brought you the many antics of quadrotor drones.

Now, researchers have put the two together. New Scientist reports Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, combined the two technologies in an effort to give immobile patients more independent abilities. Here’s how it works:

The quadcopter’s range of motion is limited by the brain activity that the EEG can pick up. A user can move the flyer forward by thinking “right”, fly up by thinking “push”, and turn clockwise by thinking “left”. Thinking “left hard” tells the quadcopter to take off from the ground. Clenched teeth and blinking both produce a brain signal that the EEG can read, commanding the flyer to descend or to take a picture using the on-board camera, respectively. By default, that camera sends a stream of video back to the laptop, and the user can capture a still of any scene they choose by blinking four times.

Chinese Researchers Combine EEG Headset to Measure Brain Signals to Control Drones

(Image: YouTube screenshot)

Chinese Researchers Combine EEG Headset to Measure Brain Signals to Control Drones

(Image: YouTube screenshot)

The prototype “Flying Buddy 2” uses an Emotiv EEG headset, which as Popular Science points out, is not an expensive piece of mind-reading equipment. This same type of headset was recently featured by other researchers to show its ability to potentially allow for hackers to use ”brain spyware.”

Watch the mind-controlled quadcopter in action (Bonus: The researchers use it to play a “boxing game” using hand control vs. mind control):

Comments (6)

  • Maxim Crux
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 7:36pm

    The mind is a transceiver, what goes out can also come in. Think of that when you start seeing zombies in the street. Oh wait, that is the democratic party followers.

    Report Post »  
  • 13th Imam
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 7:21pm

    That’s exactly how hussein led the Seals to kill OBL. You could see the beads of sweat on his forehead, sitting in the little boy chair, while Hillary twisted his arm behind his back, forcing him to kill a fellow muslim.

    Report Post » 13th Imam  
  • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 7:19pm

    Now, all of those bullies that picked on them will be sorry.

    I wonder if they think “Fly my monkeys, Fly” before they launch the drones?

    Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • brickmoon
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 8:02pm

      And to make them return, blink three times and think, “There’s no place like drone…”

      Or maybe, “Drizzle drazzle druzzle drone…”

      Report Post » brickmoon  
    • JACKTHETOAD
      Posted on August 30, 2012 at 8:33pm

      …too bad for those bullies, nobody’s home. yo ee oo yo

      Report Post » JACKTHETOAD  
  • Max jones
    Posted on August 30, 2012 at 7:17pm

    I fly R/C, and this is too complicated and involved to allow control in the immediate fashion that is needed to actually take off, maneuver and land an airplane. Keep working…

    Report Post » Max jones  

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love