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NASA Controls Jet With Nerve Signals
__roo writes: "According to this press release, NASA scientists were able to control a 757 jumbo jet simulation using neurolectric machine control -- muscle-nerve signals fed to a computer, which used a neural net to learn how to interpret the signals. The first prototype armband was made from exercise tights, and used metallic dress-buttons as dry electrodes. This page has high resolution photos of the device."
This new technology is significant in that neuroelectric control of computers can replace computer keyboards, mice and joysticks for some uses
It's been stated flippantly by some other posters, but I really seriously hope none of these uses include safety-critical applications, either for the user or for the user's "clients" of whatever sort. The example of an airline pilot is a good one--is it really smart to think that a pilot will be able to keep his hand under *complete* control for the duration of a 4 hour cross country flight? Much less the much longer intercontinental flights? Can you imagine the difficulty of keeping your arm completely still during the period of stable flight? I suppose it wouldn't be *that* hard to cut in and out with the autopilot, but still....
Furthermore, one advantage sticks etc. have is they don't require you to be physically tethered to the control system. If a pilot today has some medical emergency, not only does the copilot have his/her own stick, but the pilot could be removed and any other person capable of flying the machine could very quickly take over. How long would it take 1) to move the electrodes and 2) train the neural net for another person?
This really does not seem like it would be a good technology for any kind of control system where you have human failsafes to protect safety.
7 November 2006: The day Americans realized corruption and incompetence weren't addressing 11 September 2001
"I'll bet you $100 that I can, too land a plane with both hands behind my back!"
-*- Any technology indistinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced -*-
Sheesh - the use of quotes in that article would make Dr. Evil proud:
...ability to control and "land" a simulated 757...
...control an aircraft without the aid of a "stick"...
...a simulated "damaged" aircraft...
Scientists outfitted a "pilot" with an armband...
Hmmm... a little over doing it? Do you need to put the word "pilot" in quotes (well, I did just then, but then I needed to, because... Oh, forget it.
OK first of all, there's a huge difference between what NASA does research on, and what the FAA approves. The FAA is a very conservative, safety-oriented organisation, and avoids change as much as possible. If this thing was put into fighter production tomorrow, it would be a decade before civil planes saw such a device.
Secondly, let's look at what this is: a fundamentally new way of controlling a plane with the same old movements. It's exciting and innovative, but effectively the pilot is still flying in the same manner as he did before, although without a joystick in his hand. Fly-by-wire systems and positional sensors offer the same capability.
Ultimately though, this is the thin edge of the wedge. Make no mistake--this will lead to entirely new ways of interfacing with machines of all types, and may be the start of true virtual reality. (like the transistor was the start of the modern portable computer) This isn't a device - it's a technology.
"People who do stupid things with hazardous materials often die." -- Jim Davidson on alt.folklore.urban
All the time, he wonders when NASA will learn to convert to and from the English and SI system.
You know, this whole idea sucked really bad the first time when it was called a POWER GLOVE.
...All I can say is that my life is pretty strange...
The Anime Geeks will note that one of the Valkyrie fighter jets/mecha in the Macross Plus series was controlled via electrodes and biofeedback.
The next Slashdot story will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush and slashdot the links early!
The consequences of direct neural tapping are mind blowing, and in more than one sense. One question is that when everyone has their brains wired up to this tech and to the internet, everyone becomes educationally equal, and everyone can learn new skills very quickly. This technology is a step in the direction of a classless society.
You know exactly what to do-
Your kiss, your fingers on my thigh-
You know exactly what to do-
Your kiss, your fingers on my thigh-
I think of little else but you.
Can you imagine the pilot having too much coffee?
"Sorry folks for that wee bit of turbulence. I drank an extra cup of coffee today and I'm a little jittery"
Probably going to be the first plane crash due too caffiene.
While you may not mean to be taken seriously, this does pose one of the problems with this technology. So what happens when they wire the fighter pilot up to the plane to get better performance and the pilot has to:
-sneeze
-scratch
-use the bathroom (extreme stress can cause electrical output to go all over the scale)
Aah, change is good. -- Rafiki
Yeah, but it ain't easy. -- Simba
Er, no. This is about muscular nerves. Picking out eight myoelectrical signals through (several?) cm of meat is no mean feat, but distinguishing what's going on in millions of ganglia through a skull? And that's merely considering the scale difference; I dimly recall the idea that muscular nerves were qualitatively different than the ones which we think with.
-*- Any technology indistinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced -*-
It would be just like walking... at first, interacting with the computer pack would be awkward, but after a while you'd do it without thinking, and it would become a part of you.
Just as the avilablility of an always-on DSL connection allows people to use mapquest rather than storing an atlas at their house, this technology will allow humans to forget the millions of trivial facts and focus on understanding and mastering skills.
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