Professor X? Toyota

For those in a wheelchair with limited mobility, Toyota's new brainwave technology is a marvel. The rider of the wheelchair wears a cap that sends signals via a brain-scan electroencephalograph (BSE) to a computer that analyzes the input to steer the chair in real time, as seen here in a video.

Other brainwave technology usually requires lengthy processing time, but the Toyota technology transmits in only 125 milliseconds -- a crucial factor allowing faster reaction time. The technology, developed by a Japanese company called Riken, adjusts to the individual user's commands for movements such as forward, left and right, and stop. In tests, Toyota says the commands are 95 percent accurate, which makes it the most accurate brainwave-driven controller in the world. The controller uses a technique called blind signal separation, which filters out extraneous brain signals from those intended to control the chair's movement.

The technology has implications for other medical applications beyond wheelchair control; according to Toyota, it could ultimately be extended to adjust to the emotions and mental state of the patient.

[AP]

Want to learn more about breakthroughs in electronics, medicine, nanotech, and more?
Subscribe to Popular Science and enter to win $5,000!

1 Comment

I wonder how far someone would imagine going in while strapped to that tech in their sleep.



Download Our iPhone App

Stay up to date on the latest news of the future of science and technology from your iPhone with full articles, images and offline viewing



Follow Us On Twitter

Featuring every article from the magazine and website, plus links from around the Web. Also see our PopSci DIY feed



Become a Fan On Facebook

Share links with friends, comment on stories and more


December 2009: Best of What's New

In our December issue, Popular Science names the 100 best innovations of the year: bombproof wallpaper, self-parking cars, the fastest helicopter, and 97 more. Plus inventor profiles and videos.

Check out the best of what's new here.

Popular Science Photo Pool


Share your photos in the Pop Sci pool at www.flickr.com!
tags_sprite.png
POP_embeddedForm_cover_May09.jpg