Imagine being able to control a machine with only your mind. Well it might not be as far fetch as it seems.  U.S researchers have achieved this with a technique called electroencephalography which is used to record brain waves. The recordings in turn are transmitted to the helicopters via Wi-Fi and in turn you can control the helicopter.

Professor Bin He said that this was the first time that this feat has been achieved. Brain control has been conducted before but this is the first time it has been completed with a flying robot. Tests saw five people controlling the helicopter by simply looking at a screen.

The subjects were not facing the quad copter but they could instruct it to turn left and right by the on-board camera that relayed the pictures to them on a screen.  Professor He added: ‘In previous work we showed that humans could control a virtual helicopter using just their thoughts. I initially intended to use a small helicopter for this real-life study; however, the quad copter is more stable, smooth and has fewer safety concerns.’

You may think this is a waste of money but the researching group hopes to be able to move this technology to help people with disabilities or neurodegenerative disorders. This would make the more independent and give them a lease of life that they would otherwise not have.

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