Change TV channels by thought

Tomoo Yamauchi,director of the Research and Development Division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications,said that a consortium of Japanese companies,research institutes and the government is working on the gadgets,which could be on the market in as little as a decade.

The devices would use advanced versions of existing brain-machine interface BMI technology,he said.

8220;We already have BMI machines through which an operator can make a robot carry out an action,such as moving an arm or lifting a leg. We also have the technology for a person to think of a number and that number be recorded by the machine,8221; the Telegraph quoted Yamauchi as saying.

8220;The challenge now is to simplify the existing systems and make the equipment smaller before it can be made commercially available,8221; he added.

Taking brain-machine interfaces a step further,the system would be able to sense when a person is too hot or cold and adjust the heating in a room,said Yamauchi.

And there is even the possibility that a car navigation system in the future will be able to recognise the driver8217;s hunger pangs and plot a course to the nearest restaurant,he said.

8220;In the early stages of this technology,we believe that we will be able to help elderly people or the physically challenged,those with problems walking or using their hands. But to make a system that is commercially acceptable,we need to simplify the system dramatically and try to find a way to do without the helmet,8221; added Yamauchi.