Thought-Controlled Robot Avatars: Boon for Disabled : Discovery News

Robot avatars will provide a new level of freedom and interaction for the disabled, elderly or bed-ridden, say inventors. Robot avatars will provide a new level of freedom and interaction for the disabled, elderly, or bed-ridden that they do not currently enjoy -- some even controlled by a user's thoughts, say scientists, inventors and enthusiasts. These avatars will "fill in" for those who are not able to physically attend -- communicating for them, said science fiction author Robert Sawyer. "This is liberating for the person [who is disabled]," Sawyer told FoxNews.com. "A human being feels helpless when he or she has to ask another person to get something off a high shelf for them or help them with their hygiene. But we don't feel we're imposing on robots; we're empowered when we have one."