China Develops Mind-Controlled Robot Dog

(MENAFN- AzerNews) Researchers at Xi'an Jiaotong University have created a system that allows a robot dog to be controlled without joysticks or buttons-just by thinking about the desired action, combining brain-signal reading technology with autonomous navigation, Xu, one of the project leader, AzerNEWS reports.

The system uses a non-invasive brain-computer interface (BCI). Sensors placed on the head read the brain's electrical signals without any surgery or implants. When a person thinks an intention, such as“move forward,” the brain produces a distinct signal. The system recognizes it, translates it into a command, and sends it to the robot.

“It's a kind of remote control in your mind,” Xu explains.

Currently, the robot can understand 11 basic commands, including forward and backward movement, turns, and other simple actions. The system has an accuracy of over 95%, with a delay between thought and movement of about one second.

Direct brain-control technologies have existed for some time, but the most precise systems often require surgical implants, which carry risks of infection, signal degradation, and device rejection. The non-invasive approach is safer, cheaper, and more convenient-but the signals it captures are less precise. Asking a human to control every movement of the robot would quickly lead to overload.

The team solved this problem by dividing roles between human and robot. Humans are responsible only for communicating high-level intentions, like“where to go,” while the robot autonomously handles routing, obstacle avoidance, balance, and precise movements, reducing user workload and improving system stability.

This technology could have important applications in rehabilitation, elderly care, and assistance for people with limited mobility, transforming the robot dog from a novelty into a practical assistive companion.

Xu emphasizes that the future of such systems lies in combining brain interfaces with artificial intelligence and environmental perception, enabling management that is both intuitive and practical. Experts predict that as these systems evolve, we may soon see robots in homes, hospitals, and care facilities responding almost instantly to human thought, blurring the line between mind and machine.

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