Control your environment through brain commands
A simulation of a user's view of the navigation interface through a wearable device.
Envisioning the future of healthcare through wearable technology
Many patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and other neurodegenerative conditions live every day with a frustrating inability to do small, everyday tasks, such as turning on the lights, changing the volume on the TV, or even communicating with their friends and loved ones. Today, a first-ever proof of concept demonstrates how wearable technology and consumer products can be brought together with digital innovations to let a person with no mobility control their environment using brain commands, via a custom-built tablet application and wearable display interface. This proof of concept demonstrates the potential to improve the quality oflife for ALS patients – or any person with limited muscle and speech function– by giving them the ability to interact, communicate and issue commands without moving their body or using their voice.
Wearable technologies meet digital innovations and smart consumer products
“This proof of concept shows how people and technology can be brought together to potentially help improve the quality of life for patients.”
Jeroen Tas, CEO, Healthcare Informatics Solutions and Services, Philips Healthcare
“This shows the potential of wearable technology in a powerful new way—helping people with serious diseases and mobility issues take back some control of their lives.”
- Paul Daugherty, Chief Technology Officer, Accenture
“We are tremendously excited about the potential to give people with ALS greater independence and quality of life as we continue to actively search for a cure.” - Ineke Zaal, spokesperson, Stichting ALS, the Netherlands
How it works
Philips teamed up with Accenture, a global management consulting, technology services andout sourcing company; Emotiv, a neuroengineering company, and Fjord, a service design consultancy that is part of Accenture Interactive; to connect and control Philips Hue Lighting, SmartTV and Lifeline Medical Alert Service products.
User sends brain commands Using their thoughts or other simple facial movements, a person can send brain commands through the Emotiv headset’s EEG (Electroencephalography) or EMG (Electromyography) sensors.
Wearable display shows navigation interface The user navigates the interface in their field of vision through the wearable display, scrolling through the navigation and selecting an action by thinking simple commands, such as “down” or “left.”
Digital application reads commands and connects devices Brain commands received from the Emotiv headset are processed through the Accenture and Philips digital application to control the interface and connect Philips Smart products.
Smart products are activated Connected to the application, a user can turn on a Philips light or television, or call for medical help, just by using their thoughts.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a proof of concept project to explore the potential of controlling Philips connected suite of products with Emotiv technologies. While the development work and reactions represented are real, this concept is not nor is it intended to be an available product.
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