Electronic headband mind control robot

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• Date: 2023-04-24
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Science and Technology Daily, Beijing, April 6th (Reporter Zhang Jiaxin) Wearing a special electronic headband and using human thoughts to control a robot sounds like a plot in a science fiction novel. But now, research published in the American Chemical Society's journal ACS Applied Nanomaterials takes a step toward making that happen. By designing a special 3D patterned structure that does not rely on viscous conductive gel, the University of Technology Sydney team in Australia created a "dry" sensor that can measure the brain's electrical activity. It can also be used easily in the hair.

Doctors monitor electrical signals from the brain using brain waves, in which specialized electrodes are implanted or placed on the surface of the head. Brain waves help diagnose neurological diseases, but they can also be incorporated into brain-computer interfaces, which use brain waves to control external devices such as prosthetics, robots and even video games.

Most non-invasive products use "wet" sensors, which are applied to the head with a sticky gel that can irritate the scalp and sometimes trigger an allergic reaction.

As an alternative, researchers have been developing "dry" sensors that don't require gels. While nanomaterials like graphene might be a suitable choice, their flat and typically sheet-like nature makes them incompatible with the uneven curves of the human head, especially when used over prolonged periods of time. Therefore, the researchers wanted to create a polycrystalline graphene-based 3D sensor that could accurately monitor brain activity without any stickiness.

The team created several 3D graphene-coated structures with different shapes and patterns, each about 10 micrometers thick. Tests have shown that the graphene sensor works best on the curved, hairy surface of the occipital region, the base of the skull where the brain's visual cortex is located.

The team integrated eight of these sensors into an elastic headband that was secured in the occipital region. When combined with an augmented reality headset that displays visual cues, the electrodes detect the cues being viewed, and then work with a computer to interpret the signals into commands that control the movement of the four-legged robot, completely hands-free.

Although the new electrodes don't work as well as wet sensors, the researchers say the work represents a first step toward developing robust, easy-to-implement dry sensors that could help expand applications for brain-computer interfaces.