A revolutionary development for the disabled

Moving something or a robot with the power of thought is one of the most common events we come across both in our imagination and in science fiction productions. On the other hand, when we leave the science fiction part of the work behind, this kind of technological development offers promising solutions, especially for disabled individuals to regain their independence. It will be possible to move prosthetics or robotic limbs with signals coming from the brain in the near future. While these achievements have mostly required surgical intervention to date, a new study may make this possible in a much easier way.

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon have made a groundbreaking development that could change this. They have managed to move all the fingers of a robotic hand, one by one, using only the power of their thoughts, using a method that does not require any surgical intervention.

The team led by Professor Bin He developed a system that allows users to perform finger movements by simply imagining them, using EEG (electroencephalography) signals. In the experiments, volunteers successfully completed tasks performed with two and three fingers without using any muscles.

The system analyzes EEG data with a deep learning-based artificial intelligence network and produces real-time and highly precise robotic movements. Bin He expressed the impressiveness of the system by saying, "Participants were able to perform multi-finger tasks by thinking they were just moving their fingers." The most striking aspect is that this system is attached from the outside, does not require a surgical procedure, and therefore has the potential to appeal to a much wider user base. It could be a revolutionary development for many people, from paralyzed individuals to patients in the physical rehabilitation process.

In addition, this technology is of great importance not only for the health field but also for daily life. Robotic hands controlled by thought can help people in many areas, from writing to moving small objects.

Researchers are working to further develop the system so that it can perform more complex tasks. All of these developments are a tangible result of the strong collaboration of neuroscience , engineering and artificial intelligence. In the future, such systems controlled by the power of thought will not only restore lost functions, but will also redefine the quality of life by working as a natural extension of the human body.