7 replies to this topic

[mad kat]

Are we getting close to neuro-helmet technology is closer than we think!

Saw this on MSN, Don't know much about it but its a similar principle is it not.

http://video.uk.msn....permalink:uuids

[Mech42Ace]

Mmm... Sounds cool, to bad it's gonna be 'till 2439 when we get the first mech the Mackie. :/

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

This is just what the civilian market is working on.

Nothing, or not much, has been released about how far the Military has progressed in it's use of linked Pilot to vehicle interfaces. From virtual combat environment full HUD to 'anticipated vehicle movement' linking.
- Quite a bit more advanced than what that link showed.

9erRed

[Pht]

Unfortunately, no, this only does, at best, half of what the BT neurohelmet does.

The BT helmets recieve information from the brains AND transmit information INTO the brain. This latter part I have not seen anywhere.

Edited by Pht, 18 September 2014 - 11:11 AM.

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

On neuro-helmets in BattleTech:

- The neurohelmet's main job is to enable the MechWarrior to control the balance of the BattleMech. The MechWarrior uses the neurohelmet to tell a 'Mech when and in what direction it should be off balance, and also to help the 'Mech regain its bearings when its balance systems cannot compensate enough for the 'Mechs conditions.

- Advanced neurohelmets are capable of providing sensor and balance information from the 'Mechs sensors to the MechWarrior. This "direct neural virtual reality" is very weak, because even the best neurohelmets cannot put enough signal power into the brain to overwhelm the natural biological sensory signals without cooking brain cells. This input limitation is due to the wireless method that neurohelmets use to send information into the brain cells.
- Getting information out is far easier, being a passive process. The achilles heel of getting complex information out of a brain via a neurohelmet is that the complexity of the human brain, which makes it a hard thing to read. Because of this, neurohelmets "watch" a few specific centers of the brain which are easily translated into commands. The end result of this is an interface that makes it possible for MechWarriors to communicate their basic intentions to their 'Mech more quickly and clearly than speech controls would allow for. This overall process is not quick or smooth, but it does work. For instance, when charging at another mech, the pilot would use the neurohelmet to, at a very visceral low level, command the 'Mech to throw itself off balance towards the targeted mech.

- While the neurohelmet can help translate the MechWarriors basic intentions to the BattleMech and give a small amount of feedback to the MechWarrior, they aren't capable of real-time "mind reading" that would be necessary in order to directly control a BattleMechs movements, nor can they input enough data to a MechWarrior to replace the cockpit information systems.


Now where are we seeing any of this right now IRL?
- The air force is testing and using a similar system in there most advanced fighters now.
The Pilot simply looks and thinks where he wants to go and the systems direct the vehicle to conduct the necessary flight controls to move the vehicle there. Similar operations to 'fly by wire' systems and having safety systems for g-lock.
- Experimental at this time but it is being tested, now.
(again much more advanced than the civil systems, designed for combat, and much faster speeds.)

Sensor systems are taking a giant leap when it comes to combat systems and 'having the edge' over your opponent.
- At one time it was the better gun and ability to see/engage further.
- Soon, if not now, it will be the better sensor systems dictating who wins or looses, sometimes without firing a shot.

Side note here:
Just recently there was a successful 1400 mile data transmission of information from human brain to brain. 100% successful with multiple tests. Black and white images viewed and sent with 100% success. It's the start of linked info transmission and closer to human / machine interaction.
(maybe we won't be talking binary but thinking it?)

9erRed

Edited by 9erRed, 17 September 2014 - 10:58 AM.

[Nathan Foxbane]

Neurohelmets are technically '80s tech. Successful experiments with said tech were performed in the late '80s and early '90s to help quadriplegics control computers. It was made obsolete by the early speech control programs by the mid '90s. I knew a psychologist who had a computer dating to the early '90s that could be controlled with practice with a pair of medical sensors. As a kid I wanted to try it, but he pointed out that a user has to learn to think differently just to use it.

Remember the early foundations of Battletech often relied on putting a sci-fi spin on experimental or theoretical '80s technology. The neurohelmet is one of those technologies.

[mad kat]

Mech42Ace, on 16 September 2014 - 09:50 PM, said:

Mmm... Sounds cool, to bad it's gonna be 'till 2439 when we get the first mech the Mackie. :/

yep i'll be long gone by then.

Undoubtedly the military has much more advanced systems up their sleeve. what is it, the commercial systems are a good decade probably more behind what the military top scientists are working on.

[Mech42Ace]

mad kat, on 23 September 2014 - 03:52 AM, said:

yep i'll be long gone by then.

Undoubtedly the military has much more advanced systems up their sleeve. what is it, the commercial systems are a good decade probably more behind what the military top scientists are working on.

Yup to bad we won't be able to see this, heck unless someone invents a time machine or cryogenic storage, I don't believe wee'd be able to see it happen.