Thought-Controlled Wheel Chair

Its the power of imagination thats directing this wheelchair to move around at Japan's Riken Brain Science Institute.

Well, more precisely, its the result of a computer reading the brainwaves of the subject seated in the chair.

Carmaker Toyota has teamed up with the Riken Brain Science Institute to create the technology that can smoothly move a person around in light wheeled vehicle.

[Andrzej S. Cichocki, Riken-Toyota Collaboration Lab Head]:
"This system is based on so-called imaginary motor paradigm. So, a subject after training, he imagines movement of the limbs, right hand, left hand and feet."

The wheelchair requires at least one week of training before the software and the user can adapt to each other.

The time required to process a brain wave into computer data has been trimmed down to 125 milliseconds - and this is why a wheelchair can twirl around as though it were being handled physically.

The research team has big plans for the future of this technology, but for now an immediate goal is to improve wheelchair technology so that it can be used by those most paralyzed.

Over the next five years, the researchers to increase accuracy up to 100% and reduce training time to one hour or less.

Cichoki envisions a SmartHouse where you won't have to give a second thought when turning on electronic applications ranging from computer keyboards to gaming and refrigerators.

[Andrzej S. Cichocki, Riken-Toyota Collaboration Lab Head]:
"In SmartHouse, a person can control many home appliances, like switch on door, open the door, switch on TV channel and so on. So in SmartHouse, we need many many commands, so we would like to develop a system that has many commands."

But for now at least, automobile manufacturing giant Toyota has no plans to use the technology for cars.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• NTD
• News
• Wheel Chair
• Japan
• Computer
• Brain
• Technology
• Paralyze
• Handicap

[CFan011]

use the force

[0PsycoDad0]

Great! Another score for reason! Science is the only force that truly helps us.