The Future Is Here Today...Robots, Genetics, AI, Longevity, Singularity

Advancements in Brain Control: Wheelchairs that Move by Thought

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by Andrew Kessel on May 26th, 2009

The seventies gave the world “soul power” and now the new millennium is moving on to brain-power. There has been a flurry of postings here at Singularity Hub within the past few months about moving past the constraint of appendages and controlling computers directly with the brain. To get up to speed, check out the Singularity Hub posts about the brain-powered robotic-armed wheelchair, brain Twitter, and the Emotiv Epoc gaming headset. There are two camps in the brain-controlling debate, with non-invasive techniques doing battle against the more sensitive intrusive devices. Our money is on the intrusive, direct linkages to the brain, but a win for either camp would certainly do wonderful things for society. Even as the keyboard and mouse are under attack by touch-screens and other new technologies, the final frontier of brain control is making steady progress.

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That's Not a Horse! It's Just a Man Behind You With Two Coconuts!


For those in the non-invasive camp, however, it will be a bit of a wait (check out Braingate for the status of invasive techniques). As is proven with the Emotiv Epoc, the technology is not quite there. Thought controlled computers are still a bit of a chore for the able-bodied but, for the disabled, are already making quite an impact. The newest gadget in personal mobility is the thought-controlled wheelchair, and this iteration seems to have quite a complex navigation system. Rather than go with the smile forward, blink to turn method that Cuitech Inc. took with the Epoc-equipped chair, researchers at the University of Zaragoza adopted a method similar to the brain-Twitter interface.

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Devices That Read People’s Minds

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by Keith Kleiner on April 24th, 2009

Wondering where your significant other or your kid really spent the night last night?  Sounds like you could use a mind reading machine.

Now only in their infancy, devices that can read people’s minds are on track to improve dramatically in the coming decades.  These devices may open the doors to lie detection and telepathic communication, even as they challenge our already weakening boundaries of personal privacy.  Bolstering this vision is our recent story documenting the first time that a defense has attempted to bring lie detection evidence from a brain scanning device to a courtroom in San Diego.

signs movie

Scene from the Signs Movie

In an effort to learn more about the field of reading minds we setup a chat with researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) where some of the most cutting edge work in the field is being performed.   We spoke with Tom Mitchell, founder and Chair of CMU’s fabulous Machine Learning Department, Marcel Just, Co-Director of CMU’s Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging, and Mark Palatucci, Ph.D student within the CMU Robotics Department.  Below is a summary of our conversation:

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