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thelostone
30-09-2011, 09:51 AM
A bit off in the future but imo an interesting read

While the idea of implementing mind reading technology in an automotive application is nothing new, in fact, it?s something Ferrari has previously been reported as dabbling in, this is the first time that we?ve seen an automaker actually confirm an interest in the field.

Nissan is undertaking this pioneering work in collaboration with the ?cole Polytechnique F?d?rale de Lausanne in Switzerland (EPFL).

Research on what?s being called the ?Brain Machine Interface? (BMI) already allows disabled users to maneuver their wheelchairs by thought transference alone. The next stage is to adapt the BMI processes to the car--and driver--of the future.

Using brain activity measurement, eye movement patterns and by scanning the environment around the car in conjunction with the car's own sensors, it should be possible to predict what the driver plans to do--be it a turn, an overtake, a lane change--and then assist with the maneuver in complete safety.

The Nissan and EPFL collaboration is developing systems that go to the next stage using statistical analysis to predict a diver's intentions and to evaluate a driver's cognitive state relevant to the driving environment.

If all goes to plan, one day, our cars will be able to predict our next move. For example, imagine you see a left turn coming up and you want to take it. The car could then prepare itself for the maneuver, selecting the correct speed and road positioning, before completing the turn.

If this turns out to be too extreme, we could at least envisage a driver adjusting a radio station or volume of the stereo, accessing a paired smartphone or even locking the car or starting its engine all with the power of their mind.

Of course, the technology is in its very early stages so any production version would still be years away from launch.

Diablo13
30-09-2011, 09:15 PM
I like the second part of the idea, to adjust radio stations, locking the car or adjusting the seat position.
I can't even imagine anyone driving that way, ever?
There are too many unpredictable's, people with cross eyes, lack of concentration, indecision, being lost etc could all be made worse and amplified if they controlled the vehicle directly?
Lets assume you are in a potential accident situation, there are several ways you might avoid it, such as braking hard, or swerving or speeding up or mounting a verge to avoid the collision.
However these actions depend on road conditions, location, amount of traffic etc, so what if the car reacts quickly to your first thought, which is the wrong choice?
In the countryside you might speed up and swerve onto a verge;
in the city that same reaction would see you mounting the kerb and ploughing through pedestrians!
Lets face it predictive text has been around for years, but it will still say balls when you mean boy!
It won't happen in my lifetime anyway, but it is quite an interesting brain exercise to theorize on?