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Mind-controlled robot lets you weld metal without using your hands

By Donna Lu

2 February 2019

Robotic arms work on a car

Robotic welders are used in manufacturing

Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Welding is going hands-free. A mind-controlled robot can weld metal together after receiving mental instructions from its operator.

The person controlling the robot wears an electroencephalography (EEG) cap, which measures the brain’s electrical activity via the scalp. They then look at a screen that has several pre-selected metal seams for the robot to weld.

Each option on the screen flickers in turn and the operator stares at their choice. When their chosen option flickers, it generates a specific electrical response in the brain detectable by the EEG.

By matching the…

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