Tokyo, June 29: Japan's Toyota Motor on Tuesday said it
had invented a way to allow a person to steer an electric
wheelchair through simple thought, using a helmet-like device
that measures their brain waves.
The cutting-edge Brain Machine Interface (BMI) technology
uses electrodes attached to the scalp to measure localised
brain activity when a user concentrates on certain physical
movements.
The signals are displayed on a panel in almost real time
and translated into instructions to steer the motorised
wheelchair, the researchers said.
"Such systems allow elderly and handicapped people to
interact with the world through signals from their brains
without having to give voice commands," Toyota said in a
statement.
"This technology is expected to be useful in the field of
rehabilitation, and for physical and psychological support of
wheelchair drivers," it added.
The company said the system is 95 per cent accurate and
able to adjust itself to the characteristics of individual
users.
"Thus the driver is able to get the system to learn
his/her commands (forward/right/left) quickly and
efficiently," said the statement.
Several Japanese laboratories are working on BMI
technology to develop new applications to make life easier for
disabled people and the elderly.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, June 29, 2009, 20:45