<p>Scientists have successfully flown a remote-controlled helicopter through an obstacle course using only the 'power' of thoughts.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The research, by the University of Minnesota's Institute for Engineering in Medicine, uses a non-invasive 'cap' to capture brain electrical activity.<br /><br />Five participants were selected to wear a simple 'cap' that held 64 electrodes, using it to 'teach' the computer the brain patterns corresponding to thoughts of movement - clenching of the left and right fist for turning left and right, clenching both fists to go up, and doing nothing to go down.<br /><br />Then the computer was set up to run the helicopter over wi-fi, with only the participant's thoughts at the controls.<br /><br />The approach requires that an electronic system be "trained" to recognise patterns in an electroencephalograph - a map of electrical activity.<br /><br />Those thoughts, such as that of making a fist with the left hand, are then correlated with motions of the helicopter, BBC News reported.<br /><br />The copter was made to reliably fly through an obstacle course in the university's gymnasium - participants' success rates were as high as 90 per cent in obstacle avoidance.<br /><br />Bin He, director of the University of Minnesota's Institute for Engineering in Medicine and senior author on the new research believes the "non-invasive" approach to gathering the power of thoughts has wider long-term appeal.<br /><br />The team has been working toward the helicopter experiments for some time, writing in Plos One in 2011 of similar trials using a virtual helicopter.<br /><br />"The ultimate application really is to benefit disabled patients who cannot move or patients that suffer with movement disorders," He said.<br /><br />"We want to to control a wheelchair, and turn on the TV, and most importantly - this is my personal dream - to develop a technology to use the subject's intention to control an artificial limb in that way, and make it as natural as possible," He said.</p>
<p>Scientists have successfully flown a remote-controlled helicopter through an obstacle course using only the 'power' of thoughts.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The research, by the University of Minnesota's Institute for Engineering in Medicine, uses a non-invasive 'cap' to capture brain electrical activity.<br /><br />Five participants were selected to wear a simple 'cap' that held 64 electrodes, using it to 'teach' the computer the brain patterns corresponding to thoughts of movement - clenching of the left and right fist for turning left and right, clenching both fists to go up, and doing nothing to go down.<br /><br />Then the computer was set up to run the helicopter over wi-fi, with only the participant's thoughts at the controls.<br /><br />The approach requires that an electronic system be "trained" to recognise patterns in an electroencephalograph - a map of electrical activity.<br /><br />Those thoughts, such as that of making a fist with the left hand, are then correlated with motions of the helicopter, BBC News reported.<br /><br />The copter was made to reliably fly through an obstacle course in the university's gymnasium - participants' success rates were as high as 90 per cent in obstacle avoidance.<br /><br />Bin He, director of the University of Minnesota's Institute for Engineering in Medicine and senior author on the new research believes the "non-invasive" approach to gathering the power of thoughts has wider long-term appeal.<br /><br />The team has been working toward the helicopter experiments for some time, writing in Plos One in 2011 of similar trials using a virtual helicopter.<br /><br />"The ultimate application really is to benefit disabled patients who cannot move or patients that suffer with movement disorders," He said.<br /><br />"We want to to control a wheelchair, and turn on the TV, and most importantly - this is my personal dream - to develop a technology to use the subject's intention to control an artificial limb in that way, and make it as natural as possible," He said.</p>