Pilot’s brain waves remotely control the flight of a model helicopter

BBC : Electroencephalography (EEG) measures electrical activity on the scalp generated by the firing of neurons in the brain. Although most of the signals are largely indecipherable, those related to motion are recognizable. Such signals have been used for basic control of motorized wheelchairs, and implanted sensors have allowed for even finer control systems. Bin He of the University of Minnesota and his colleagues have now used an EEG cap connected to a computer that allows the wearer to control the flight of a remote-control helicopter. The pilots “trained” the computer to recognize each pilot’s brain patterns corresponding to left, right, up, and down. They then used the system to guide the helicopter through an obstacle course. Some of the pilots achieved obstacle avoidance rates of 90% with just those simple commands. The noninvasive ability to harness the power of thought to control complex motion is a significant step forward in brain-controlled mechanical action.