Mental Input Paving Way for New Technologies
If you have ever been bed ridden to a point that moving your limbs is a difficult chore, then you might have already felt what it was like to wish that you can change the channels on your telly without moving a muscle.
A new research at the University of Washington focuses on allowing humans to interface directly with computers in order to interact with appliances and simple machines. This is pretty useful research, considering that it can pave the way for major innovations in the field of medicine and mechanical engineering.
About two years ago, the first commercialized neural input system was introduced to the public. The OCZ Neural Input Actuator allows users to easily map 11 different key stroke commands to mental input commands. It does take a while to train new users into actually getting things right, but once a person is used to the controls the results are astounding. When playing a first person shooter game, users showed incredible skill with the controls allowing for accurate shooting with almost no keyboard or mouse input.
In application, there is very little use for neural input in our offices. After all, most office work requires seeing the actual feedback on the monitor, which would mean that typing would still be faster than mental input.
On other fields, neural input can change the way we live our lives. This will certainly mean wonders for people who rely on prosthetic limbs in order to walk and move. Neural input would allow for the mental activation of actuators that would enable to simulate movement. At higher levels of control, more complicated actions can be achieved. Even normal people using technology such as the hybrid assistive limb would be able to exhibit a high level of control beyond traditional mechanical access.
Read more about mental input technology on Engadget.
