A new research at the University of Illinois at Chicago found out that machines can be designed to understand, predict and even override human actions.

By using an advanced set of computer algorithm, these machines can determine the intention of human and then say if such intention has changed or has been disturbed.

"We call it a psychic robot," said Justin Horowitz, the lead author of the research. "If you know how someone is moving and what the disturbance is, you can tell the underlying intent - which means we could use this algorithm to design machines that could correct the course of a swerving car or help a stroke patient with spasticity."

In other words, robots will be able to understand humans more than ever by way of replicating how humans respond to events in the real world.

It all started by building a so-called virtual desk. Horowitz and his co-researchers have designed it with a semi-transparent mirror which can reflect objects from a display found above it. The mirror gives out an illusion that the reflected objects are occupying the same space where the test subject's real hand is which is below the mirror. When the test subject reaches for objects, his hand was actually holding the handle of a robot. This allows the robotic arm to measure the test subject's movements and apply force such as a slight nudge. Likewise, the robotic arm continues to measure the movement although it doesn't interfere the next time around.

By comparing movement paths that are nudged and undisturbed, the researchers were able to come up with a computer model that is equipped with an algorithm for effectively predicting the intended action of the test subjects. In the given example, this intention is displayed as reaching for a virtual object. 

Horowitz further explains that since the computer model can potentially know what humans are aiming to do, he hopes that the experiment will eventually inspire car makers to use the same algorithm into the cars of the future.

According to Horowitz, cars of the future will be able to tell where the driver wants to go. They can even correct the car's course which will not be based on where the car is heading but rather on where the driver meant to go.

Another advantage of using the technology is in the field of prosthetics. People can continue doing what they had initially intended to do even when they are interrupted by things beyond their control such as a muscle spasm. Since the algorithm can effectively tell their intended action, the prosthetics can continue acting on it regardless of what is happening around them.