IBM just paved the way for cheap mind-controlled robotic limbs
What's the story
Controlling robotic objects through mind control in a dramatic fashion has been touted oft times in sci-fi movies.
Yet, what if a practical system could be developed that would give people with paralysis and locked-in syndrome the ability to control robotic limbs with their minds?
That's the question which got IBM Research going, and they've recently developed a proof-of-concept that demonstrates such ability.
Proof-of-concept
Best part about IBM's proof-of-concept is that it's cheap
The best part about IBM's device is that it's cheap.
Built using an off-the-shelf robotic arm and a take-home EEG monitor, IBM's brain-computer interface demonstrated that a robotic arm could be controlled via thought.
Although in its early phases, researcher Stefan Harrer told TNW the tech could be scaled up to control prosthetic limbs or even a robot assistant in the near future.
Quote
What IBM researchers were aiming to achieve
"Our primary design goals were (i) low-cost and (ii) suitable for use in an unrestricted real-life environment," said Harrer, adding that, "(ii) allows the system to be taken out of highly-specialized research lab environments and moved into everyday environments for use by the broad public."
How?
How did they make the brain-computer interface work?
So, how did IBM do it with such commonplace tech?
Well, the answer is artificial intelligence, like every other thing these days.
Scientists from IBM developed a cutting-edge artificial intelligence system that could interpret data from the EEG monitor and convert them into commands for the robotic arm.
Currently, Harrer's team is working on reducing latency, and there are no plans for human trials.
Implications
IBM's commonplace hardware, cutting-edge AI approach could pave the way
While IBM Research isn't the first company to dabble in brain-computer interfaces, but possibly the first one to think of developing such technology using easily-available, inexpensive hardware.
Additionally, IBM's focus on real-world applications aimed towards accessibility is a laudable approach.
With IBM demonstrating that such sci-fi-like capabilities can be developed using commonplace hardware and cutting-edge AI, mind-controlled robotic devices might be a corner away.