23 June 2019

Mind-Controlled Robot Arm Works Without a Brain Implant

A team from Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) created the first non-invasive mind-controlled robot arm that exhibits the kind of smooth, continuous motion previously reserved only for systems involving brain implants. Researchers used a combination of sensing and machine learning techniques to create a brain-computer interface (BCI) that could reach signals deep within the brains of participants wearing EEG headcaps.


To test their system, they asked the participants to use it to direct a robotic arm to point at a cursor as it moved around a computer screen. The robotic arm was able to continuously track the cursor in real-time with no jerky movements - an exciting first for a non-invasive BCI system. While much of the focus on mind-controlled robots centers on people with movement disorders or paralysis, researchers envision a future in which the tech is ubiquitous, benefiting the population as a whole.

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