It might be easy to dismiss this as pure science fiction, except that seven people were able to use the scientists’ hands-free control (setup) to fly successfully in a flight simulator. Some of them were even able to land their virtual aircraft in a dense, albeit simulated, fog and would have passed part of the test needed to get a pilot’s license.

Each test pilot wore a white (skullcap) loaded with dozens of electroencephalography sensors. These electrodes measured electrical signals created by the pilot’s brain cells. That information was sent to a computer, which converted signal (patterns) into commands to control the virtual aircraft.

The researchers are now trying to figure out how to get their EEG system into a real airplane. Comforting to think that if your pilot becomes (incapacitated), the kid sitting next to you playing video games could take over.