Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Mind Controlled Wheel Chair


Spanish scientists managed to create a wheelchair that a person can control by simply thinking about the desired destination. People who have disabilities that prevent them from using the joystick can control this latest invention in technology by simply thinking where they want to go.

The wheelchair features a laser scanner that helps create a 3D image of the surroundings. The image that shows the area around is displayed on a screen installed in front of the user, who needs to concentrate on the part of the screen where they wish to go and the wheelchair acts in response.

In order to identify the brain activity of the user, researchers use a skullcap that helps work out the destination they want to go to.

The engineer, who came up with the idea of developing a wheelchair that can be controlled by the mind, is Dr Javier Minguez from the University of Zaragoza in Spain. He mentioned that it took only 45 minutes for the study participants to learn to control the device.

This is the latest invention to be controlled with the help of thought. But the wheelchair prototype is still not ready to hit the stores, due to the fact that it can only handle two thoughts every minute. Researchers look forward to creating faster and more complex versions in future.

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