A technology that uses brain signals to control computers, artificial limbs and even wheelchairs, could offer hope to the 2.5 million people world-wide who are wheelchair bound because of spinal injuries.

The non-intrusive brain computer interface (BCI) developed by the MAIA project uses electrodes attached to the users scalp to pick up electrical signals emitted by the brain, and combines this with artificial intelligence to provide the control.

MAIA co-ordinator José del R. Millán, explained: “A user can tell the chair to go straight ahead, but it will not just randomly roll in that direction of there is a wall or a flight of stairs in the way.

“What we have done is combine the intelligence of a person with the artificial intelligence of the device.”

The artificial intelligence embedded in the chair acts much like a human’s subconscious. People do not consciously send commands to every muscle in each leg in order to walk, and do not think about where to step to avoid an obstacle – they do it subconsciously. Similarly, a wheelchair-bound user of the MAIA BCI simply has to send the signal to go in a certain direction and the chair figures out how to get there.

Read more at ICT Results