USF scientists develop brainwave controlled wheel chair

Those crazy kids at the University of South Florida are at it again -- they've given us 'intelligent' scarecrows and engaged an RFID network in the fight against Alzheimer's, and now they're doing some rather interesting work with the Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). The device uses an electrode-covered head cap to capture P-300 brainwave responses and convert them into action, such as "typing" or manipulating a robotic finger. The team has developed a motorized "smart wheelchair" that allows users to pilot the chair and even control a robotic arm without any physical movement whatsoever. USF researchers say that this will be a great help not only for those with special needs, but also for the extremely lazy.

[Via MedGadget]

[yopladas @ Feb 7th 2009 1:25AM]

How is the Windows 7 roundup related?!

Anyway, I want a mind controlled Laser! Like that cool army laser that they shot a small aircraft with....


And while I'm at it, I want a Space Shuttle.

[Mike10010100 @ Feb 7th 2009 1:31AM]

And I want you to shut up and admire the brilliance of this discovery in silence.

This is an awesome piece of engineering that could change the world for paralyzed people.

[yopladas @ Feb 7th 2009 1:38AM]

Do you need Prozac? It's the internet; people like to say what they think so if you think this is a place for everyone to hush and stand back and admire, I seriously think you should get off it.

People make jokes to either be ignored or laughed at; not told "NO! You don't appreciate this and you need to!". If you don't appreciate it, shut up.







People...

[The WC @ Feb 7th 2009 1:54AM]

I, for one, agree with Mike. While we do have our fanboy wars and asinine comments at times, an invention like this is truly revolutionary and deserves some respect.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, Yopladas, and the people will choose to vote you up or down for it.

[老外 @ Feb 7th 2009 6:48AM]

I can't even walk properly when i see a pretty women bending over, let a lone control a wheelchair!

[Mustaine @ Feb 7th 2009 1:48PM]

thanks for posting some real tech news and not another crappy novelty USB-stick

[Flashpoint @ Feb 7th 2009 9:22PM]

You've got to use your hands?

Lame !

[feraligatr8 @ Feb 7th 2009 1:34AM]

:( I want one

[Tankyu @ Feb 7th 2009 1:34AM]

It's only a matter of time before these kinds of devices become self-aware and become ruthless, mind-controlling killing machines. Suddenly wearing a tin foil hat isn't such a good idea; it's time to upgrade to something a little less conductive.

I, for one, do NOT welcome our evil mind-controlling overlords.

[ChaosEntity17 @ Feb 7th 2009 1:36AM]

FINALLY!

MY LAZINESS WILL KNOW NO BOUNDS!

[nate @ Feb 7th 2009 2:49AM]

But it will learn to stay away from the freeway...

[Tyler @ Feb 7th 2009 1:48AM]

Now will they get to work on my hover-toilet?

[b @ Feb 7th 2009 2:09AM]

its been done before...james may tested one.

http://www.disabilityarticles.com/wheelchairs/james-mays-big-ideas-thought-controlled-wheelchair

[b @ Feb 7th 2009 2:19AM]

what they should do is share their research with one another... and work together.. if they are not already

people need to stop trying to solely claim fame...

if they truly partnered up, who knows how much more advanced their technology would be and how much cheaper the research could've been

and both will be remembered as contributors to the project.

[Christopher @ Feb 14th 2009 7:44PM]

James May tested my wheelchair. The BCI field is not small and many groups around the world are developing this research - there is a quite a lot of research collaboration actually :)

What would be nice would be to see the unseen footage of my daughter using the chair and competing with James - she was miles better :) Perhaps I will post it on youtube too :)

Christopher
Southampton

[Andrew T @ Feb 7th 2009 2:09AM]

Go Bulls!

(USF Engineering Student)

[Qball @ Feb 7th 2009 2:31AM]

USF engineering is a contradiction in terms. Go Knights!

[Chris @ Feb 7th 2009 2:34AM]

yeah GO BULLS! nice upset of marquette tonight. I was there, tons of fun. and good luck with engineering stuff. this brainwave controlled stuff is pretty interesting, cool to see it come out of usf.

[Mitch @ Feb 7th 2009 11:15AM]

GO BULLS! USF Engineering student too.

[andrew @ Feb 7th 2009 2:47AM]

Congrats to the USF engineering team that worked on this... For those who don't live in Tampa, USF has a huge and well funded research park located @ http://www.usfresearchpark.com/

Also, big props to USF for moving up to a tier 3 school.

Oh, and I didn't attend USF, I'm a UCONN fan all the way.

[Benzodiazepine @ Feb 7th 2009 3:30AM]

Very useful invention,dudes!
You save people.

[CreepinJesus @ Feb 7th 2009 5:57AM]

Didn't the Japanese do this about a year ago? Toyota I think it was... it was on Top Gear :)

[Matt @ Feb 7th 2009 9:06AM]

Do I have to take off my tinfoil hat to wear that helmet? =/

[Clinton @ Feb 7th 2009 9:37AM]

I just read the article, and from what I can see it mentions nothing of it being used for the 'extremely lazy'. If you had simply added that into your article I would have no qualm, but to say that you're quoting this from their release is wrong.

[BigTeebo @ Feb 7th 2009 11:47AM]

Davros is pleased.

[JerseyBricklayer @ Feb 7th 2009 12:30PM]

AAAAAHHHHHHH.... Brain fart! Cant move!

[ace587 @ Feb 7th 2009 12:42PM]

PEW PEW

[Alex Padilla @ Feb 7th 2009 12:56PM]

As a student at UCF--one of USF's archrivals--I must ignore my inborn desire to hate everything about that vile school at congratulate them on a wonderful job done. Anything that improves humanity in some way is worthy of a pat on the back...yes, even if I do hate them.

[Alex Padilla @ Feb 7th 2009 12:57PM]

*and* congratulate them

[granny down east @ Feb 7th 2009 11:18PM]

@Alex-- I knoew I loved you, my #1 son did mech eng at UCF.
Go Knights, indeed.

[austin @ Feb 7th 2009 1:10PM]

Hopefully they know what target fixation is.

[obijon @ Feb 7th 2009 1:26PM]

I curse the day I get flipped off by a mind-controlled robotic finger.

[MRLN @ Feb 7th 2009 2:27PM]

We should upload our minds onto the internet and download them into different robot "hubs." Then we ARE the robots we were supposed to fight.

[neologan @ Feb 7th 2009 4:38PM]

Once Stephen Hawking's lip muscle finally gives in to ALS, he'll be all over this.

[john @ Feb 7th 2009 5:12PM]

good for the handicapped people around the world although all the scum bag transhumanists are jerking off to this article as we speak