Techdirt. Stories filed under "hmi"

Techdirt. Stories filed under "hmi" Easily digestible tech news... http://www.techdirt.com/ en-us Techdirt. Stories filed under "hmi"http://www.techdirt.com/images/td-88x31.gifhttp://www.techdirt.com/ Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:00:00 PDT DailyDirt: Augmenting Animals Michael Ho http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090510/0516184818/dailydirt-augmented-animals.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090510/0516184818/dailydirt-augmented-animals.shtml

Rats have been given an artificial sense -- the ability to detect infrared light. An IR sensor was attached to the rat's head and after a month of training, the animal could reliably sense when researchers directed otherwise invisible IR beams of light on it. [url]

Some neuroengineers have developed a fully implantable and wirelessly rechargeable brain device that could serve as a brain-computer interface. This implant has lasted for over a year in lab animals, and it can observe, record and process information directly from dozens of brain neurons. [url]

Rat brains on two separate continents have been connected to work in tandem. The researchers are already working on connecting the brains of four rats at the same time, as well as starting on brains of larger mammals.... (insert ominous music here) [url]

If you'd like to read more awesome and interesting stuff, check out this unrelated (but not entirely random!) Techdirt post via StumbleUpon.

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]]> urls-we-dig-up http://www.techdirt.com/comment_rss.php?sid=20090510/0516184818 Wed, 18 Jul 2012 17:00:00 PDT DailyDirt: Prosthetic Limbs -- Getting Better All The Time Michael Ho http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100802/09525910452/dailydirt-prosthetic-limbs-getting-better-all-time.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100802/09525910452/dailydirt-prosthetic-limbs-getting-better-all-time.shtml Oscar Pistorius (aka the "Blade Runner") -- who will be the first leg amputee to compete with carbon fiber feet at the London Olympics. Pistorius was previously disqualified from the 2008 Olympics, but he'll be allowed to compete this year, potentially paving the way for other athletes to move over from the Paralympics. Here are just a few technological advances for artificial limbs that could create some cyborg-olympic athletes.

Connecting severed nerves with robotic limbs needs a direct neural-prosthetic interface that could be made out of biocompatible polymers. The research could create prosthetics that are directly controlled by a user's thoughts, but such a system is still many years away from being a reality. [url]
Paralyzed rats with spinal cord damage were given robotic legs that could respond to commands from the rats' brains, and these rats re-learned how to walk with several weeks of training. Maybe someday these little cyborgs will be as big as the Zhu Zhu pet craze... [url]
Brain-computer interfaces are improving quite a bit, and one patient named S3 has 96 hair-sized electrodes implanted in her brain that can control a robotic arm well enough to lift a glass for a drink. The device used by S3 is a new version of Braingate that requires extensive training, but presumably, the technology will get even better and allow more quadriplegic people to have robotic help. [url]

If you'd like to read more awesome and interesting stuff, check out this unrelated (but not entirely random!) Techdirt post.

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]]> urls-we-dig-up http://www.techdirt.com/comment_rss.php?sid=20100802/09525910452 Tue, 19 Jun 2012 17:00:00 PDT DailyDirt: Styli Are Getting Better Michael Ho http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100802/03133310450/dailydirt-stylii-are-getting-better.shtml http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20100802/03133310450/dailydirt-stylii-are-getting-better.shtml dismissively tossed away the idea of using a stylus and said the finger is the best pointing device around. Well, stylus technology is getting better all the time, and here are just a few examples of some styluses/styli that might beat the finger.

The Collusion iPad pen isn't just a piece of plastic in the shape of a pen. This pen-like device uses an ultrasound system instead of the iPad's built-in touchscreen to provide better accuracy. Plus it comes with collaboration software and handwriting recognition, so you can share your drawings and notes with other users. (NB: This Kickstarter project hasn't ended yet.) [url]
The Cosmonaut is a big stylus that is designed to mimic a dry erase marker. This *was* a Kickstarter project, and now it's currently selling for about $25 (shipping not included). [url]
The PressurePen is an open hardware stylus for the iPad (and Android platform) that gives users a pressure-sensitive way to draw on a touchscreen. Okay, so how many Kickstarter stylus projects are there?!? LOTS. At least this one is open source.... [url]

Over the last 30 years, retired engineer Ken Yankelevitz has been making game controllers for quadriplegics. When Yankelevitz retires from this hobby, there may be no economical replacement. [url]

A foot-controlled input device makes Dance Dance Revolution look pretty advanced. But unlike the DDR footpad, it can be programmed to do: upupdowndownleftrightleftrightbastart... [url]

There's a really small touchpad that's only one square millimeter in size. Just wait about 18 months for the next one to be half as small. [url]