Honda has created a relatively simple robotic arm that moves as a result of certain brain signals. A person sitting in a MRI machine, a machine that scans the brain activity, thought about things like making a fist, spreading the fingers and making a V-sign. Several seconds later the robot hand realized those movements - the machine interpreted the result of the MRI brain scan and realized the task.

Such a technology could have numerous applications ranging from helping people with spinal cord injuries to the replacement of keyboards. Honda and ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories plan to learn how to decode more complex brain commands and to make the machine smaller and lighter - like a cap that one could walk around with.

You may be wondering why Honda Motors is doing such research. The company's officials said that such technology could eventually be incorporated in the future auto technology. "There is a lot of potential for application to autos such as safety measures,'' said Tomohiko Kawanabe, president of Honda Research Institute Japan Co.

Honda also created a robot called Asimo that is about 130 centimeters tall, can talk, walk and dance. Asimo has been used to boost the company's image having appeared at events and TV ads, and it's also available for rentals. However, according to Honda, Asimo needs at least five more years of development before learning how to obey its owner's mental orders.