Researchers use mind-control technology to drive a car

Controlling devices with our minds is a technology researchers have been developing over the past few years. Recently, a man with a prosthetic limb was able to control his limb simply with his thoughts. There have been some other applications for mind control technology, based on Electroencephalography (EEG) devices which record electric signals produced when the brain is at work and then connect them wirelessly to a computer. For example, teams have created mind-control applications for playing musical instruments and screening mobile phone calls.

Now, a team of researchers from Nankai University’s College of Computer and Control Engineering, led by Associate Professor DuanFeng, has successfully developed “brain control car.”

The team was able to drive a car using the brain and its electrical signals and linking it to the car’s system.

According to the team’s research page, this form of mind-control driving is expected to completely change the traditional “hand and foot” driving mode, and marks a step toward granting driving capabilities to the disabled.

The Nankai team used EEG devices, as did other teams while working with mind control device, so that when people concentrated, the system could analyze driving intention and send control instructions to the car.