So when are we getting the “Hello Kitty” Warbots?
In a step toward linking a person’s thoughts to machines, Japanese automaker Honda said it has developed a technology that uses brain signals to control a robot’s very simple moves.
In a video demonstration in Tokyo, brain signals detected by a magnetic resonance imaging scanner were relayed to a robotic hand. A person in the MRI machine made a fist, spread his fingers and then made a V-sign. Several seconds later, a robotic hand mimicked the movements.
Honda officials said the latest research was important not only for developing intelligence for the company’s walking bubble-headed robot, Asimo, but also for future auto technology.
I know a lot of people I barely trust to walk using their brains, I’d hate seeing them try and steer a car by thinking.
Let’s not forget that it’s only been about a year since Toshiba applied for a patent for Operating a Computer by Thought.
That’s a cool cat, that Asimo is, btw.
“I’d hate seeing them try and steer a car by thinking.”
Have you ever fell asleep at the wheel for seconds at a time, then wake up and find that you are still miraculously on the road? Or find that you are daydreaming and can’t remember driving for the last ___ minutes? I remember driving from NYC to Miami when I was about twenty years-old with my mother, sister and nephew when all of a sudden the front left tire blew out. It scared the hell out of me especially since it was about four in the morning. This was a bad time to realize that my spare had no air and that the explosion had cause wires to dislodge under the hood. I was stranded and scared. Then something better than a vision of Jesus occurred. A man out of nowhere pulled over and lent me a hand. He had everything including an air pump. He went under the hood and rearranged all the wire and cables, filled up my flat spare and put it on the axle for me. After all was done I was grateful but speechless. I offered him twenty dollars which was a lot of money for me back then. He looked at me and declined. He sped off. I don’t even know his name and what the hell he was doing helping strangers at 4 o’clock in the morning. All the church sermons– and there were hundreds– that I heard (and don’t remember) were no match for the lesson I learned that day: always be prepared and always give a helping hand with no expectations in return. Oh, and another one: Church sermons are just words. ACTION IS ALL.
This could be very good news for prosthetics. This is incredible technology.
Here’s what’s really cool about Honda: they are pushing forward on the tech front and at the same time they make kick-ass machinery. I’ve been riding four-wheelers for a while now (my whole “gang” rides Hondas) and the Honda line is the best out there. I’ve seen wheelers upside down in a lake and 10 minutes later they are running fine. One wheeler got hit by a car and then drove back 5 miles to the cabin. I’ve sunk mine in the river many times and she’s still running fine. If they make their other products as good as their four-wheelers I would buy it in a heartbeat.
Interesting to consider which corporations have the vision to work on projects like this – let alone the resources – even if there is the cynical thought that they see a profit in it, down the road.
How many public companies can convince stock-holders to defer profits for R&D like this?
Concentrating real hard to get that mechanical index finger down in the photo.
Wasn’t this already done in an university in the USA years ago?
I wish I has a cognitive-control robot. It would make me lots of money!!
John, please stop posting links that require me to create an account for a site I’ll most likely only visit once!
Sorry to bitch, but its damn annoying.