Mind controlled quadcopter takes to the air..

Now we have all probably seen simple games that can be controlled using your brain. However scientists at Minnesota university have taken it one step further and are able to control a quadcopter.

A team of researchers at the University of Minnesota has just added another exciting new technology to the list: a quadcopter that can perform feats of aerial agility, controlled entirely by the pilot's thoughts. Using electroencephalography (EEG), a non-invasive cap fitted with 64 electrodes reads the electrical impulses of the brain to control the copter. Thinking of making a fist with the left hand, for example, fires off certain neurons in the brain's motor cortex; the cap interprets this pattern and sends a command to the copter to turn left. Other commands include thinking of making a fist with the right hand to turn right, and making two fists to tell the copter to rise.

www.cnet.com.au...

Now dont get me wrong ,I would like to fly one, but with all this talk of quadcopters being used as surveillance devices I can Imagine future law enforcement with VR style helmets equipped steering with their thoughts alone.




Thought you guys would be interested. The future looks either very interesting or pretty bleak or wonderful. depending on whether we use technology to better mankind ,or only to aid a select few.

regards

what are your views on this technology?

So the control is really a byproduct of other thought processes in the brain.

reply to post by PhoenixOD


Well yes. Its just a signal which is read that can be measured the same for everyone ...In this case it is making fists which would fire neurons in the same part of the brain for everyone. This has been used for coma victims whom were thought brain dead. They were told to think of playing tennis while patient was in a ct scanner . The neurons fired where they were supposed to thus determining the patient was indeed conscious of their surroundings.

If all new tech was used like this to help our fellow man/women .............infact all life would the world not be a better place??....................one can dream.......

reply to post by maythetruthbeknown


FUNNY STORY...

I worked on the HelpDesk for an IT Department. We used to sit around and say eventually computers would be operated by brain power instead of a mouse and keyboard. I used to joke our job would then be to tell people..."No I am sorry you do not have the brain power to operated this version of Windows and for you there is no upgrade..." Of course after watching IT Crowd I am thinking it would be just as funny to ask them "Did you try turnin it off and on?" ..."What?" "Yer Brain! ya dimwitt!"...


I really want a brain powered quadcopter now dammit! Oh and a flying car please!

Originally posted by maythetruthbeknown
Now we have all probably seen simple games that can be controlled using your brain. However scientists at Minnesota university have taken it one step further and are able to control a quadcopter.

Wonderful. You do realize, of course, that this is a two-way process.

You can control a machine with your thoughts, and your thoughts can be controlled by a machine.

I guess, they forgot to mention the latter.

Originally posted by KingErik

Originally posted by maythetruthbeknown
Now we have all probably seen simple games that can be controlled using your brain. However scientists at Minnesota university have taken it one step further and are able to control a quadcopter.

Wonderful. You do realize, of course, that this is a two-way process.

You can control a machine with your thoughts, and your thoughts can be controlled by a machine.

I guess, they forgot to mention the latter.

Streetlights. Those machines are everywhere. They make feet do funny things in cars.

Just wait until you play with your brain-copter and you realize, there are no batteries in your headset. One day, it will happen.

I see a dystopia of flying machines with metal talons gripping onto the heads and spines of dead people, eternally connected to their human brain controllers.

Actually had a dream of some brain-mapping games for kids, and when the kids gave me the gizmo to map my brain, the lines of thought were all over the place, and the kids couldn't figure out what to make of it, and they seemed a little scared. Translation: I'm a free thinker and robo kids are around the corner.

Mom: Johnny, did you plug in today?
Johnny: Yeah.
Mom: no you didn't the plug is in the same place it was yesterday.
Johnny: no mom I swear I plugged in.
Mom: don't lie to me young man, your govFace page didn't update
Johnny: I was going to do it before bedtime
Mom: no you do it right now I don't want you to to get a thumbs down for not updating daily.

It's all good until the military thinks it has the first in line rights to brains. So we're sort of all in trouble at the present.

Originally posted by Sandalphon

Just wait until you play with your brain-copter and you realize, there are no batteries in your headset. One day, it will happen.

Actually, just put a camera on the copter, and link it wirelessly to your "google glasses" so as you walk down the road your copter acts like a "look ahead periscope" allowing you to look remotely at anything you wish. You can spy on all activities normally fenced off from public view.

The Paparazzi are going to have a field day peering into the homes, windows, and compounds, of the celebrities.

They only need to figure out how to make the motors more quiet.

reply to post by KingErik


No it won't be like that. I have been working on a similar project and what it does it lets say you are angry at certain point and the Brain signals have certain pattern of your thoughts. And then there is another pattern when you are happy. Put a threshhold between these two patterns and make the input signal be processed and boom you got anything get controlled by your brain. As simple as that. Doesn't require any write access with brain.