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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