Friday, February 8, 2013

When the Mind Controls Machines


From: Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne - 01/23/2013

By: Emmanuel Barraud

Researchers demonstrated three non-invasive brain-machine interfaces at the recent Tools for Brain-computer Interaction European (TOBI) research program.

Since 2008, teams from 13 institutions coordinated by Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) have focused on making better use of signals transmitted by the brain. The researchers presented Robotino, which combines electroencephalography, signal recognition, obstacle sensors, and the Internet to enable physically disabled people to take virtual walks in familiar environments and meet and talk with relatives. Another device, Braintree, is a graphical interface that enables the severely disabled to think in order to write and surf the Internet. The researchers also presented a functional electrical stimulation technique that restores some basic mobility. More than 100 patients suffering from severe motor impairments have tested the technologies, and the results are promising. "The road is still long before the 'turnkey' product is made available to physicians and patients," says EPFL professor and TOBI project coordinator Jose del R.

Millan. "However, we have paved the way for a new critical approach to the physical and social rehabilitation of patients."

 

Read the entire article and view a video (1:51) at:


 

Links:

TOBI Project


 

Disabled Patients Mind-Meld with Robots


 

Jose del R. Millan


 

TOBI Workshop lV - Practical Brain-Computer Interfaces for End-Users:


 

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