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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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Honda Unveils Mind-Reading Robot

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(Newser) – Honda today demonstrated new technology it hopes will make the Jetsons look old-fashioned. The company unveiled a special helmet that allows its wearer to control a robot by thought alone, the Guardian reports. The helmet scans brain activity and relays it to a computer, which then instructs the robot what to do. The device remains in the primitive stages and is years away from any practical use.

The helmet currently works for only simple movements—making the robot lift an arm or leg, for example. But researchers someday hope that people will be able to turn on the air conditioning or open their car trunk simply by thinking about it. One big hurdle: the vast differences in how individual brains operate.

A Honda employee and Asimo the robot.
A Honda employee and Asimo the robot.   (Photo: Business Wire)
A Honda employee wears a helmet that allows him to make a robot perform simple tasks by thought alone.
A Honda employee wears a helmet that allows him to make a robot perform simple tasks by thought alone.   (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
A Honda employee wears a helmet that allows him to make a robot perform simple tasks by thought alone.
A Honda employee wears a helmet that allows him to make a robot perform simple tasks by thought alone.   (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
A Honda employee wears a helmet that allows him to make a robot perform simple tasks by thought alone.
A Honda employee wears a helmet that allows him to make a robot perform simple tasks by thought alone.   (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
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4 comments
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TerrifiedCitizen
Mar 31, 09 5:03 PM CDT
With most of the human family plagued by varying degrees of emotional illness, this should be entertaining to watch... Reply
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Derni
Mar 31, 09 5:58 PM CDT
maybe we could someday have enough of these to run the US Senate and House? Reply
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SPH
Mar 31, 09 6:32 PM CDT
Meanwhile GM introduces plans to include a slide-rule with each vehicle purchased... Reply
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riffran
Apr 1, 09 5:04 PM CDT
Can you imagine the mind of say....Robin Williams at the helmet.....poor asimo wouldn't stand a chance......GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING VEIT NAMMMMMMM....YEEEEEEE HA Reply
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