An interface developed at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne already allows users to manoeuvre wheelchairs by thought transference. Now this will be applied to cars
The car manufacturer Nissan has formed a partnership with École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne to work on applying brain machine interfaces to cars.
This is not as futuristic as it might sound: researchers at EPFL have already developed a system that lets wheelchair users control their chairs by thought transference and have built robots that are controlled by ‘brain waves’.
Nissan envisages applying this technology to make cars easier and safer to drive, saying that after scanning the thought patterns of its driver, the car of tomorrow will be able to predict its next move. When the driver thinks about turning left ahead the car will prepare itself for the manoeuvre, selecting the correct speed and road positioning, before completing the turn.
José del R Millán, project leader at EPFL said, "The idea is to blend driver and vehicle intelligence together in such a way that eliminates conflicts between them, leading to a safer motoring environment.”
Although thought control via a brain-machine interface is well-established in demonstration projects, the levels of concentration needed to perform thought transference are exceptionally high. The Nissan/EPFL collaboration aims to develop systems that go to the next stage, using statistical analysis to predict a driver’s intentions and to evaluate elements of a driver’s cognitive state that are relevant to the driving environment.
Using brain activity measurement and eye movement patterns, and scanning the environment around the car in conjunction with the car's own sensors, it should be possible to predict what the driver plans to do - be it a turn, an overtake, a lane change - and then assist with the manoeuvre in complete safety.
Work has begun on the programme and this summer the scientists at EPFL were joined by a researcher from Nissan. Lucian Gheorghe, originally from Romania but who has spent the last 14 years in Japan, joined Nissan’s Mobility Research Centre after graduating in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence from Kobe University. At Nissan, Gheorghe has been responsible for researching a number of Driver Assist systems as well as searching for new ways of adapting brain science programmes into car development.
“During our collaboration with EPFL, I believe we will not only be able to contribute to the scientific community but we will also find engineering solutions that will bring us close to providing easy access to personal mobility for everyone," Gheorghe said.
Millán is exploring the use of brain signals for multimodal interaction and, in particular, the development of non-invasive brain-controlled robots and neuroprostheses. In this multidisciplinary research effort, Millán brings together his work in the two fields of brain-computer interfaces and adaptive intelligent robotics.
This is not as futuristic as it might sound: researchers at EPFL have already developed a system that lets wheelchair users control their chairs by thought transference and have built robots that are controlled by ‘brain waves’.
Nissan envisages applying this technology to make cars easier and safer to drive, saying that after scanning the thought patterns of its driver, the car of tomorrow will be able to predict its next move. When the driver thinks about turning left ahead the car will prepare itself for the manoeuvre, selecting the correct speed and road positioning, before completing the turn.
José del R Millán, project leader at EPFL said, "The idea is to blend driver and vehicle intelligence together in such a way that eliminates conflicts between them, leading to a safer motoring environment.”
Although thought control via a brain-machine interface is well-established in demonstration projects, the levels of concentration needed to perform thought transference are exceptionally high. The Nissan/EPFL collaboration aims to develop systems that go to the next stage, using statistical analysis to predict a driver’s intentions and to evaluate elements of a driver’s cognitive state that are relevant to the driving environment.
Using brain activity measurement and eye movement patterns, and scanning the environment around the car in conjunction with the car's own sensors, it should be possible to predict what the driver plans to do - be it a turn, an overtake, a lane change - and then assist with the manoeuvre in complete safety.
Work has begun on the programme and this summer the scientists at EPFL were joined by a researcher from Nissan. Lucian Gheorghe, originally from Romania but who has spent the last 14 years in Japan, joined Nissan’s Mobility Research Centre after graduating in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence from Kobe University. At Nissan, Gheorghe has been responsible for researching a number of Driver Assist systems as well as searching for new ways of adapting brain science programmes into car development.
“During our collaboration with EPFL, I believe we will not only be able to contribute to the scientific community but we will also find engineering solutions that will bring us close to providing easy access to personal mobility for everyone," Gheorghe said.
Millán is exploring the use of brain signals for multimodal interaction and, in particular, the development of non-invasive brain-controlled robots and neuroprostheses. In this multidisciplinary research effort, Millán brings together his work in the two fields of brain-computer interfaces and adaptive intelligent robotics.
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