Informatics in Control, Automation and Robotics I

ROBOT-HUMAN INTERACTION (p. 3)

Practical experiments with a cyborg

Kevin Warwick
Department of Cybernetics, University of Reading,
Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6AY, UK
Abstract: This paper presents results to indicate the potential applications of a direct connection between the human nervous system and a computer network. Actual experimental results obtained from a human subject study are given, with emphasis placed on the direct interaction between the human nervous system and possible extra-sensory input.

An brief overview of the general state of neural implants is given, as well as a range of application areas considered. An overall view is also taken as to what may be possible with implant technology as a general purpose human-computer interface for the future.

1 INTRODUCTION

There are a number of ways in which biological signals can be recorded and subsequently acted upon to bring about the control or manipulation of an item of technology, (Penny et al., 2000, Roberts et al., 1999). Conversely it may be desired simply to monitor the signals occurring for either medical or scientific purposes.

In most cases, these signals are collected externally to the body and, whilst this is positive from the viewpoint of non-intrusion into the body with its potential medical side-effects such as infection, it does present enormous problems in deciphering and understanding the signals observed (Wolpaw et al., 1991, Kubler et al., 1999).

Noise can be a particular problem in this domain and indeed it can override all other signals, especially when compound/collective signals are all that can be recorded, as is invariably the case with external recordings which include neural signals.

A critical issue becomes that of selecting exactly which signals contain useful information and which are noise, and this is something which may not be reliably achieved. Additionally, when specific, targeted stimulation of the nervous system is required, this is not possible in a meaningful way for control purposes merely with external connections.

The main reason for this is the strength of signal required, which makes stimulation of unique or even small subpopulations of sensory receptor or motor unit channels unachievable by such a method.

A number of research groups have concentrated on animal (non-human) studies, and these have certainly provided results that contribute generally to the knowledge base in the field. Unfortunately actual human studies involving implants are relatively limited in number, although it could be said that research into wearable computers has provided some evidence of what can be done technically with bio-signals.

We have to be honest and say that projects which involve augmenting shoes and glasses with microcomputers (Thorp, 1997) are perhaps not directly useful for our studies, however monitoring indications of stress or alertness by this means can be helpful in that it can give us an idea of what might be subsequently achievable by means of an implant.

Of relevance here are though studies in which a miniature computer screen was fitted onto a standard pair of glasses.