Feb 28 2011
Computer engineers at the Freie Universität Berlin have designed a sensor that will allow a driver to control his car with his thoughts. The team working on the AutoNOMOS Project says that this will provide more security while driving.
The system also known as Brain Driver translates bioelectric brainwaves or electroencephalograms (EEG) into orders that can be understood by a vehicle that is computer-controlled. They have conducted experiments to confirm that wave patterns from the brain and detected by head-mounted sensing devices can be translated into specific orders for tasks such as direction, acceleration and braking.
The driver has to first train the computer to interpret four specific orders, namely stop, start, left and right. The connected brain waves are then detected by the Brain Driver sensors and recorded by the computer in the car. The computer is then able to derive the correct response from the car. A navigation map along with the brain thought commands can identify roads, and the presence of other vehicles and pedestrians. This means the computer can pick up and identify pre-set commands, but will not take an initiative and respond to situations not pre-determined.
Currently, suitable for physically challenged drivers, efforts are on to improve the system still further. The sensor will also sound an alarm or vibrate if the driver falls asleep during long drives.
Source: http://www.fu-berlin.de/