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NASA Controls Jet With Nerve Signals

Posted by timothy on from the whose-tights-exactly? dept.

__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."

4 of 175 comments (clear)

  1. Watch out. by Carbonate · · Score: 5

    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.

  2. Re:Oh scary........ by Shotgun · · Score: 5

    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
  3. Dream on by goliard · · Score: 5
    This sort of technology can lead to mind controlled machines. In a decade or two, it could be possible for you to look up the definition for a word on m-w.com while simultaneoulsy carrying on a conversation, and the other person wouldn't ever know that you needed to look the word up.

    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 -*-
  4. Mind Control by interiot · · Score: 5
    This sort of technology can lead to mind controlled machines. In a decade or two, it could be possible for you to look up the definition for a word on m-w.com while simultaneoulsy carrying on a conversation, and the other person wouldn't ever know that you needed to look the word up.

    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.
    --