Scientists from Switzerland have created a technology that allows people with severely impaired motor functions to play video games by using their minds.

The researchers on the “Brain Driver” project said that their ultimate goal is to create a system that allows a wheelchair to be controlled by the brain signals of the people who have limited mobility.

Samuel Kunz, a paralyzed person who was involved in an accident, is part of the “Brain Driver” program.

Samuel operates a digital race car by picturing which way he wants to move the race car in the game.

For example, if he thinks about his left hand, the car will automatically go left, and the same thing applies to his right hand.

If Samuel thinks about his both hands at the same time, the car accelerates and goes forward, and if he calms his mind down, the vehicle will automatically slow down.

But Samuel says that this is not easy.

He explains, “I have to be very concentrated. The connection between my fingers and my brain is not there anymore. I still try to move my fingers just in my head and so that needs a lot of concentration to do it exactly the same way every time.”

How Does The Technology Work?

Dr. Rea Lehner said that the technology works by brain signals.

Dr. Rea explains, “So these electrodes are connected to an amplifier and then to the computer and to our algorithms in the end. The algorithms are then calculating the brain signal and sending commands to the game that our pilot can actually control.”

Dr. Rea added, “We need to make sure that we filter out any muscle activity and what we have left is the pure brain signal.”

Nicole Wenderoth, a professor at Zurich for neural control of movement, explains what their biggest challenge was during the project.

Professor Nicole said, “The skull is a very good insulator and of course it protects your brain, that’s a good thing, but it also protects the signals that your brain is producing from us who want to read them.”

Next Year, the Cybathlon Championships will be held in Zurich and will be hosting people with physical disabilities from all over the world so they could use the latest technology in the competition.

Researchers said that the “Brain Driver” will be showcased during the Cybathlon Championships.