China News Service, Shanghai, November 5th. Title: Brain-computer interface "holds hands" for autonomous driving. This couple allows wheelchairs to "read" the brain
China News Service reporters Xiao Yudi and Xue Lingqiao
On November 4, at the site of the 9th China International Import Expo, Wang Ning, who was sitting in a wheelchair, wore an EEG collection device on his head. After his brain issued the command "go forward," the wheelchair would slowly drive forward; when encountering obstacles, the wheelchair would automatically go around; if a pedestrian suddenly appeared in front, it would stop.
"I control part of it, and it also helps me decide part of it." Wang Ning calls this approach "shared control."
Wang Ning’s online name is “Fei Niu” and his wife’s name is “Shiitake Mushroom”. This brain-controlled wheelchair jointly developed by "Shiitake Mushrooms and Fat Cows" is exactly the result they brought to the CIIE for display. The wheelchair combines brain-computer interface with autonomous driving technology. The user expresses the intention of action, and the system assists judgment based on the surrounding environment, achieving autonomous control while improving travel safety.
“I just need to go where I want to go and leave the specific operational details to it,” Wang Ning said.
On November 4, Wang Ning demonstrated using his brain to drive a wheelchair forward at the 9th China International Import Expo. Photo by China News Service reporter Xiao Yudi
Technology exploration starting from life problems
Wang Ning’s technological exploration began with a sudden illness.
In 2020, a few days before the wedding thank you banquet, Wang Ning suddenly collapsed to the ground, and an examination found a tumor in his spinal cord. After receiving more than 30 hours of surgical treatment, he became paralyzed and required care from others. The couple was experiencing business failure at the time and was saddled with a large amount of debt. The sudden change caused tremendous changes in the life trajectory of the two people.
"At that time, only thoughts could move." Wang Ning said. After becoming physically restricted, he began to think about how he could regain control of his life.
Wang Ning started with 3D printing modeling and transformed auxiliary equipment for himself. Later, he came into contact with products such as exoskeletons, but found that standardized equipment could not fully meet personal needs. So he started trying to modify the program, solder circuit boards, and even redesign the existing circuit boards when they couldn't meet the needs.
In April this year, Wang Ning and Huang Huanghua made a head-mounted brain-computer interface. Considering that it was too laborious to output operating instructions through thinking, they made the wheelchair into a "robot."
AI becomes a “helper” for cross-border development
Both Wang Ning and Huang Jinhua are art majors. When they enter hardware research and development, they need to catch up on a lot of knowledge. The emergence of AI has provided them with new auxiliary tools.
"There are a bunch of AIs standing behind us to help us realize it." Wang Ning described the two people's research and development process. He said that AI can help him deal with programming and algorithm problems, but ideas and needs still come from real life.
The hardware platform is equally important. The self-driving wheelchair displayed this time uses the Rhino Pi X1 development board based on Qualcomm Yuelong QCS8550 chip. Wang Ning said that the platform integrates a variety of common interfaces that can connect depth cameras and other equipment, so that he does not have to start with basic work such as chip selection, drawing circuit boards, and soldering components, but can focus more on software development and algorithm optimization.
Wang Ning is also exploring the combination of brain-computer interfaces with smartphones and smart bodies. He envisions that in the future, users can express their needs through a brain-computer interface based on their own status and specific scenarios, and then AI will complete a series of operations on their mobile phones. For example, tasks that originally require multiple clicks and complex operations, such as ordering takeout and arranging schedules, are expected to be completed through simpler expressions of intent.
"In the past, the steps used to control mobile phones using brain-computer interfaces were very complicated." Wang Ning said, "If there is AI access, the operation process can be reduced."
The picture shows Wang Ning and Golden Flower. (Photo provided by interviewee)
From personal needs to the lives of more people
During this R&D experience, my wife Huang Huanghua has always been an important companion.
Wang Ning recalled that in the early stages of paralysis, he needed help even to turn over, and his wife needed to turn him over on an axis every once in a while as required. Golden Flower said that she had also cried secretly. But she always supported her husband in trying new ideas.
"That's the kind of person he is." Huang Jinhua said. In her opinion, Wang Ning did not become tough because of changes in his physical condition, but he has always had a strong desire to explore and take action. Even if some ideas are not easy to implement in the eyes of others, she is willing to accompany him to experiment and find solutions together.
Wang Ning described his wife as "an optimistic person at the nuclear energy level." Although AI provides a lot of knowledge assistance, it still relies on golden flowers for creativity.
Nowadays, brain-controlled wheelchairs can assist Wang Ning in his daily life, but there is still a lot of work to be done before it becomes a mature product. The couple hopes that this system can be adapted to different electric wheelchairs in the future, and ultimately control the product price within 50,000 yuan.
Participating in relevant exhibition activities of this CIIE also gave the two people the opportunity to contact more companies, technical personnel and potential partners. Previously, he shared the research and development process through self-media, and many people with similar needs expressed their concerns to him. This made him realize that individual technological endeavors might respond to broader social needs.
“When I first started working on it, I didn’t think about promoting it to other people,” Wang Ning said. “Later I discovered that I wasn’t the only one who needed it.”
