shaun mcgorry executive briefing july 16, 2009. introduction: robotics robots are becoming...
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INTRODUCTION TO ROBOTICS AND THE MIND-MACHINE INTERFACE
Shaun McGorryExecutive BriefingJuly 16, 2009
Introduction: Robotics
Robots are becoming increasingly present in our daily lives
Robot: a virtual or mechanical artificial agent; usually an electro-mechanical system which, by its appearance or movements, conveys a sense that it has intent or agency of its own
Robotics: coined by Isaac Asimov; the science and technology of robots, and their design, manufacture, and application
Introduction: Mind-Machine Interface Brain-computer interface (BCI):
sometimes called a direct neural interface or a mind-machine interface, is a direct communication pathway between a brain and an external device
Aimed at assisting, augmenting, or repairing human cognitive or sensory-motor functions
Following discussion: short overview of the history of robotics, details possible applications of this technology, and explores the different research that is taking place involving the mind-machine interface
History of Robotics
Autonomous machines only appeared in the 20th century
Unimate : 1st digitally operated and programmable robot; installed in 1961 to lift hot pieces of metal from a die casting machine and stack them
Research on mind-machine interfaces (BCIs) began in the 1970s at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) under a grant from the National Science Foundation followed by a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)
The field has since blossomed spectacularly, mostly toward neuroprosthetics applications that aim at restoring damaged hearing, sight and movement
History of Robotics
Applications
Civilian Applications Military Applications
search and rescue exploration construction and
repair projects in environments ranging from under water to outer space
fighting forest fires hazardous waste
clean-up
unmanned sea, air and ground weapons platforms that mirror the controller’s intent without the need for brain wave sensors or nerve connections
fighter jet cockpit controls that mirror the pilot’s intent without the need for brain sensors or nerve connections
AttacArmor (All Terrain Tactical Armor)
Applications
Both Civilian and Military
high-speed telecommunications systems and remote switching devices that cannot be jammed, intercepted, or limited by time or distance
biometrics to locate and identify individuals
encryption based on mental intention and unique patterns of influence
Company Research
Interchange Laboratories
California Corporation whose purpose is to develop and continually improve a non-invasive, non-contact mind-machine interface technology as well as related control and training methods
Mind-Machine Interface System effectively mirrors a person's intent with no connections to the body, or physiological sensors
Time and distance are no barriers and unlike radio waves, human mental influence of the MMIP cannot be intercepted or jammed
Early stages of development; now at the stage where it is powerful enough to drive a video game application over the internet
Honda
Honda Research Institute, Japan, has demonstrated a Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) that enables a user to control an ASIMO robot using nothing more than thought
Wearing a headset the user simply imagines moving either his right hand, left hand, tongue or feet - and ASIMO makes a corresponding movement
System is still huge and slow, and the commands are quite crude and imprecise
The next step is to refine the system to work with fine motor controls, add the ability to decode non-motor brain signals and speed it all up
Honda
Toyota
Researchers at Toyota have unveiled an advanced brain sensing system that controls the movement of a wheelchair by reading a user's thoughts alone
By processing patterns in brain waves, the system can propel a wheelchair forward, as well as make turns, with virtually no discernable delay between thought and movement
An accuracy rate of 95% was achieved
Summary
The Force, it appears, may be with us sooner than expected
Non-invasive, safe technology must become more refined and precise
Once this happens, imagination is the only limit
But if the recent run of mind-bending success in this field is any indication, the big breaks can come faster than expected
Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-fE9QBy0FI
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