World Cup to Debut Mind-Controlled Robotic Suit
From: Scientific American - 06/09/2014
By: Dina Fine Maron

"The beautiful game" (soccer) will have a robotic addition at this year’s
World Cup kickoff.

Clad in a robotic body suit and a cap adorned with electrodes that will
detect brain signals and cue leg movement, a paralyzed Brazilian will take to
the pitch and move with the assistance of a specially designed exoskeleton
during the opening ceremony of the World Cup on June 12th.

Legions of fans tuning in to watch the event will see the debut of a
technology that, according to its creators, will one day use people’s brain
waves to control robotic limbs and effectively make wheelchairs obsolete.
This initial demonstration is merely an early prototype, but Duke University
neuroengineer Miguel Nicolelis, the man behind the project, envisions a
future in which the brain–machine interface will allow individuals who have
lost mobility from accidents or disease to get back on their feet—even if a
robotic suit is needed to make that happen.

The technology hinges on sensors that listen to a barrage of electrical
signals in the brain, reading and translating them into digital commands
that, in turn, spark an artificial device to act on the brain’s prompts.

Read the entire article at:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/world-cup-to-debut-mind-controlled-robotic-suit/

Links:
Mind in Motion
http://www.nicolelislab.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/SciAm2012_Nicolelis.pdf

Nicolelis Lab
http://www.nicolelislab.net/

Miguel Nicolelis
http://www.ted.com/speakers/miguel_nicolelis

Paraplegic in Exoskeleton to Kick Off World Cup
http://www.roboticstrends.com/service_healthcare/article/paraplegic_in_exoskeleton_to_kick_off_world_cup

Mind-Controlled Exoskeleton Will Debut at World Cup Opener (with video 5:05)
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2014/06/11/mind-controlled-exoskeleton-will-debut-at-world-cup-opener/

'Iron Man' Paraplegic to Kick First World Cup Ball
http://news.discovery.com/tech/robotics/iron-man-paraplegic-to-kick-first-world-cup-ball-140609.htm

Paralyzed Person to Kick Off the World Cup
http://www.mdtmag.com/news/2014/06/paralyzed-person-kick-world-cup

Paralyzed Person In Robotic Exoskeleton Helps Kick Off World Cup
http://powerelectronics.com/blog/paralyzed-person-robotic-exoskeleton-helps-kick-world-cup

Walk Again Project
http://virtualreality.duke.edu/project/walk-again-project/

Paraplegic Kicks Off World Cup in Exo-Skeleton (with video 0:48)
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/2014-fifa-world-cup-paraplegic-kicks-off-world/story?id=24110496

Paralyzed UK Veteran Walks Again with Exo-Skeleton (with video 1:10)
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2014/04/17/paralyzed-uk-veteran-walks-again-with-exo-skeleton/

Paralyzed man in robot suit kicks off World Cup
http://www.techhive.com/article/2363420/paralyzed-man-in-robot-suit-kicks-off-world-cup.html