Abstract:
A system for controlling a robot by brain electrical signal, includes a screen, an electronic signal detection device, and a host computer. The screen shows a plurality of icons thereon, and the plurality of icons flashes at different frequencies. The electrical signal detection device detects brain electrical signal when one of the plurality of icons is stared. The host computer stores a plurality of personal reference parameters corresponding to the plurality of icons of the screen. The host computer processes the brain electrical signal to get parameters of use, and compares the parameters of use with the plurality of personal reference parameters to choose and execute the icon which is stared.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Taiwanese Patent Application No. 105101985, filed on Jan. 22, 2016, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
       FIELD 
       [0002]    The subject matter herein relates to a system and a method of controlling robot by brain electrical signals. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A brain-machine interface is a direct communication and control path established between human brain and computer or other electronic devices. Through this path, one can express himself or operate apparatus directly by his brain activity of brain without speech of motion. Therefore, it is useful for paralysed patients or old folks. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0004]    Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures. 
           [0005]      FIG. 1  is a sketch view of a system of controlling robot by brain electrical signal. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a block view of a host computer of the system of claim  1 . 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a sketch view of a head contact device of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a sketch view of a screen showing icons of the system of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart of the processing of brain electrical signal. 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart of the identifying of brain electrical signal. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart of a method of controlling a robot by brain electrical signal. 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a sketch view of the screen of  FIG. 4  showing a plurality of item icons. 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  is sketch view of the screen of  FIG. 4  showing a plurality of food icons. 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  is a sketch view of the screen of  FIG. 4  showing a plurality of video icons. 
           [0015]      FIG. 11  is a sketch view of the screen of  FIG. 4  showing a plurality of notice icons. 
           [0016]      FIG. 12  is a sketch view of the screen of  FIG. 4  showing a plurality of phone icons. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features. The description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. 
         [0018]    The term “comprising” means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in a so-described combination, group, series, and the like. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system of controlling robot by brain electrical signal which includes a desk  10 , a manipulator  30 , a screen  40 , a camera  50 , a dinner plate  60 , a host computer  70 , and a brain electrical signal detection device  80 . 
         [0020]    The manipulator  30  is mounted on the desk  10 . The screen  40  is mounted on a rear side of the desk  10 . The camera  50  is mounted above the screen  40 . The camera  50  is used to capture an image of a user. The screen  40  shows icons for the use of the user. The dinner plate  60  is placed on the desk  10 . The dinner plate  60  includes a plurality of food receiving areas  61 . The plurality of food receiving areas  61  can receive a plurality of different foods. The manipulator  30  fetches foods from the plurality of food receiving areas  61  to the user. The host computer  70  is connected to the manipulator  30 , the screen  40 , and the camera  50 . The brain electrical signal detection device  80  is worn on the head of the user to detect electrical signals generated by the user. The brain electrical signal detection device  80  communicates with the host computer  70  wirelessly, such as by BLUETOOTH, Wi-Fi, infrared light, and so on. 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates that the host computer  70  includes a brain electrical signal receiving module  71 , a brain electrical signal character capture module  72 , a storage module  73 , a determination module  74 , a display control module  75 , and an executing module  76 . The brain electrical signal receiving module  71  receives the brain electrical signal from the brain electrical signal detection device  80 .  FIG. 3  illustrates that the brain electrical signal detection device  80  includes a plurality of head contact devices  81 . Each head contact device  81  includes a plurality of separate probes  82 . The probe  82  can contact scalp through a covering of hair. 
         [0022]      FIG. 4  illustrates the display control module  75  controlling the screen  40  to show a plurality of icons. As shown on  FIG. 4 , the screen  40  shows five icons: icon 0, icon 1, icon 2, icon 3, and icon 4. The display control module  75  controls the icons to flash at different frequencies. The user generates different brain electrical signals when staring at different icons. For example, when the screen  40  has an illumination frequency of 60 hertz (HZ), the display control module  75  can control the icon 0 to flash at 30 HZ, the icon 1 to flash at 20 HZ, the icon 2 to flash at 15 HZ, the icon 3 at 10 HZ, and the icon 4 to flash at 7.5 HZ. When the screen  40  has a quicker illumination frequency, more icons can be shown on the screen  40  at different frequencies. Further, a frequency of an icon may as well be set to be a quotient of the illumination frequency of the screen  40 . For example, when the screen  40  has an illumination frequency of 144 HZ, the icons can respectively be shown as 72 HZ, 48 HZ, 36 HZ, 24 HZ, 18 HZ, 16 HZ, 8 HZ, 4 HZ, and 2 HZ. 
         [0023]    The storage module  73  stores a plurality of reference parameters which represent brain electrical signal of normal person. 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  illustrates a flow chart of one embodiment of processing brain electrical signal comprising following steps: 
         [0025]    At block  501 , the method comprises the display control module  75  controlling an icon to flash at a certain frequency on the screen  40 . 
         [0026]    At block  502 , the method comprises the brain electrical signal detection device  80  detecting brain electrical signal when the user stares at an icon, and sending the brain electrical signal to the brain electrical signal receiving module  71  of the host computer  70 . 
         [0027]    At block  503 , the method comprises the brain electrical signal character capture module  72  processing the brain electrical signal, for example, filtering the brain electrical signal, transforming the brain electrical signal by a Fourier transform, and calculating energy of the brain electrical signal at some frequency. This process includes detecting instant readings, and revising the plurality of reference parameters based on the detected instant readings to obtain a plurality of personal reference parameters, which is stored in the storage module  76 . 
         [0028]    The above steps are repeated to obtain personal reference parameters in relation to each icon. 
         [0029]      FIG. 6  illustrates a flow chart of one embodiment of identifying brain electrical signal comprising following steps: 
         [0030]    At block  601 , the method comprises the display control module  75  controlling an icon to flash at a certain frequency on the screen  40 . 
         [0031]    At block  602 , the method comprises the brain electrical signal detection device  80  detecting brain electrical signal, and sending the brain electrical signal to the brain electrical signal receiving module  71  of the host computer  70 . 
         [0032]    At block  603 , the method comprises the brain electrical signal character capture module  72  processing the brain electrical signal to obtain parameters of use. 
         [0033]    At block  604 , the method comprises the determination module  74  comparing the obtained instant reading (parameter of use) with the personal reference parameters of each icon, and accordingly choosing one icon when the parameter of use is same as or near to the personal reference parameters of the icon. 
         [0034]      FIG. 7  illustrates a flow chart of one embodiment of controlling a robot by brain electrical signal comprising following steps: 
         [0035]    At block  701 , the method comprises the screen  40  showing a plurality of first level icons.  FIG. 8  shows four icons, these being feeding, watching video, notifying, and calling. 
         [0036]    At block  702 , the method comprises the brain electrical signal detection device  80  detecting brain electrical signal when the user stares at one first level icon, and processing the brain electrical signal to obtain parameters of use. 
         [0037]    At block  703 , the method comprises the determination module  74  compares the parameters of use with the personal reference parameters of each first level icon, one first level icon being chosen when the parameter of use is same as or near to the personal reference parameters of the first level icon, and executing the function of the first level icon. Second, and corresponding, icons are then shown. 
         [0038]      FIG. 9  shows five second icons displayed when the feeding icon of  FIG. 8  is chosen. The five second icons are a return icon and four food icons. When the return icon is chosen, the interface of  FIG. 8  is again displayed. When one food icon is chosen, the manipulator  30  fetches that food from the dinner plate  60  for the user. The camera  50  captures an image of the user. The host computer  70  determines an elevation of a mouth of the user according to the image, and controls the manipulator  30  to present the food to the mouth. 
         [0039]      FIG. 10  shows four second icons when the watching video icon of  FIG. 8  is chosen. The four second icons of  FIG. 10  are a return icon and three video icons. The three video icons correspond to different video contents. 
         [0040]      FIG. 11  shows four second icons when the notifying icon of  FIG. 8  is chosen. The four second icons of  FIG. 11  are a return icon and three notice icons. When one notice icon is chosen, the corresponding notice content is broadcasted by the host computer  70 . The user&#39;s requirement is thereby notified by being broadcasted. 
         [0041]      FIG. 12  shows four second icons when the calling icon of  FIG. 8  is chosen. The four second icons of  FIG. 12  are a return icon and three call icons. When one calling icon is chosen, the corresponding person is telephoned. 
         [0042]    In the system and method of controlling robot by brain electrical signal, the robot can be simply controlled by brain electrical signal to achieve different functions, such as feeding, watching video, notifying, and calling other people. 
         [0043]    The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the details, including in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure, up to and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims.