NANKAI UNIVERSITY, TIANJIN, CHINA. The world’s first mind-controlled vehicle was developed in China that does not utilize anything except for brain power to navigate. Special equipment was incorporated so that the driver could move forward, backward, lock, unlock and stop the vehicle.

The research was headed by Associate Professor Duan Feng, from Nankai University’s College of Computer and Control Engineering. The main inspiration of the project was to help disabled people who cannot physically steer cars. They aim to provide a driving method that does not require the use of hands or feet for disabled individuals who cannot freely move. In addition to that, they want to provide for healthy individuals an innovative and more intellectualized driving mode.

The car is equipped with a brain signal-reading device that has 16 sensors. These sensors capture EEG (electroencephalogram) signals from the driver’s brain. A computer program then selects the significant signals and translates them, thus, enabling car control. The brain signal-reading equipment picks up the driver’s/tester’s EEG signals and wirelessly transmits them to the computer. The signals are processed by the computer which categorize and recognize an individual’s intention. Then, it translates the signal into a control command to the car.

This innovation may revolutionize the traditional hand and feet driving method. This project is in collaboration with Great Wall Motor, a Chinese car manufacturer. Currently, the vehicle can only drive in a straight direction. There are no production plans yet for this vehicle. The team hopes to continue the research and improve the current vehicle model.

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