One of the things that have always differentiated living beings from machines is the fact that living beings are in complete control of their minds. A machine has to be programmed to think and act, while the neurological process allows humans and animals to instantly and instinctively think and react. Mind control is often explored in literature, television, and film. In such circumstances, this mind control is often seen as a villainous superpower. But what if people could use the power of their brains to control objects in their environment?

A team of researchers from the University of Michigan developed a system that would allow amputees to use the power of mind control to influence prosthetics. In the simplest of terms, the team created a Regenerative Peripheral Nerve Interface (RPNI) that creates a connection between the user’s mind and prosthetic. The RPNI is a small graft of muscle tissue implanted onto a nerve at the end of an amputation site. The RPNI promotes healthy nerve growth and relays signals from the brain to an advanced robotic prosthetic. The prosthetic then employs AI technology to enable real-time reactions.

A company in England has developed a similar prototype that allows a human’s mind to control the actions of a drone. Founded in 1920, Ultra Electronics is one of Britain’s largest defense and security technology firms. As described on the company website, “Ultra specializes in providing application-engineered bespoke solutions. We focus on our customers’ mission critical and intelligent systems in the defense, security, critical detection & control markets.” Ultra’s primary clients are the US Department of Defense and the UK Ministry of Defense. And though it is unclear whether either military powerhouse has requested a mind controlled drone, it is an impressive achievement.

Ultra unveiled the drone prototype, a project they have been working on for several years, at the 2021 Three Counties Defence and Security Expo, the largest defense and security expo in the UK region. With more than 150 exhibitors, there were many displays of how drone technology can benefit the world of defense and securities. But of all the drone demonstrations, Ultra’s mind controlled drone stole the show. In a video demonstration, a woman sits at a table in a conference room in front of a laptop. A transmitter band is wrapped around the crown of her head, and as she stares at what appears to be a series of circles on the monitor, a drone lifts off, hovers and rotates in the air, and then lands back on the table.

Tony White from Ultra explained that the circles are icons that the programmer has created. “We call them tags,” Tony said, ” and they have like a signal within them. And when you stare at that, your eye responds to it in a particular way.” Tony went on to say, ” The way in which that eye response occurs is a signal that we pick up on the visual cortex of the brain, at the back of the brain.” The sensor that the user is wearing on her head translates the signals the she sees on the monitor into commands that control the drone. Ultra’s mind control drone may not be as immediately beneficial as a prosthetic that enables an amputee’s mind to seamlessly have control over the limb. But the implications of such technology could be vast for defense and securities.