The Australian military was able to control robots with the power of thought using a Microsoft HoloLens headset
The Microsoft HoloLens augmented reality headset has helped Australian scientists learn how to control robots with their mind. The system was developed by researchers at the University of Technology of Sydney and has been tested by the military.
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If the scientists' work is completed, humans will only be able to control robotic systems by the power of thought. As part of the test, the researchers used Microsoft headsets and guided the ground robot by visualizing waypoints in their heads.
Needless to say, such a development sparked the interest of the military. In the experiment, the commander used his mind to make the ground robots survey the area. The observation was done through a HoloLens augmented reality headset. The Australian scientists have already presented their scientific paper to the general public. However, before the publication, the military conducted tests.
The system works using graphene-based sensors. They were developed by Australian scientists and combined with a Microsoft headset. When a person looked around using the HoloLens, the sensor collected brain signals and transmitted them to the Raspberry Pi 4B. The single-board computer, unveiled in summer 2019, turned the signals into instructions and sent them to Ghost Robotics' Q-UGV robotic dogs, which were used in the experiment.
Note that the military has long been working on brain-computer interfaces. For example, in the US in 2015, a paralysed groom was able to fly a virtual model of a fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet using only the power of thought.
The disadvantage is that the chip must be surgically implanted in the brain, and the sensors need to be gelled onto the skin. Firstly, this is inconvenient because of the soldiers' helmets. Secondly, the gel causes skin irritation and can lead to infection. Thirdly, the gel dries quickly.
Other companies are also working on such chips. First on the list, of course, is Neuralink. The ELon Musk start-up has been testing the brain-computer interface on animals, and wants to start trials on humans. But the FDA is not yet allowing this. Concerns relate to the filaments which are implanted in the brain.
Source: ACS Publications