Research Brings a Future of Mind-Reading Robots Ever Closer
From: Medical Design Technology - 11/14/2013

Brain-computer interface uses electroencephalography (a measure of the
brain's electrical activity) to help distinguish which brain signal
corresponds with the body's performance of a particular intended action. In
these experiments, Shikha Chaganti, a graduate student in computer science
advised by Professor Ralescu of the University of Cincinnati's Department of
Electrical Engineering and Computing Systems, specifically targeted brain
impulses generated when a person thought about going from a sitting position
to standing and vice versa. Computers process this data – which can be
reinforced by combining it with measures of electrical activity in muscle –
in order to detect these brain signals and interpret their intent. The idea
is to allow a person to use thought alone to communicate with a computer
about the intent to move.

Gaurav Mukherjee, a master’s student in mechanical engineering in University
of Cincinnati’s College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS), and Grant
Schaffner, an assistant professor in UC’s Department of Aerospace Engineering
and Engineering Mechanics, designed and built a spring-assisted leg
exoskeleton that can help people with impaired mobility. By integrating
Ralescu's brain-computer interface into the exoskeleton, someone using the
device could think, "I'm going to stand," and they'd receive a robotic boost
as they rose to their feet.

Read the entire article at:
http://www.mdtmag.com/news/2013/11/research-brings-future-mind-reading-robots-ever-closer

Links:
International Human-Centered Robotics Symposium
http://ceas.uc.edu/hucero.html

Mind-Reading Robots 
http://www.mdtmag.com/news/2013/11/photos-day-mind-reading-robots

Anca Ralescu
http://www.ece.uc.edu/~aralescu/

Building Block for Exoskeleton Could Lead to More Independence among the
  Elderly 
http://www.mdtmag.com/news/2013/11/building-block-exoskeleton-could-lead-more-independence-among-elderly