Mind Control:The Future is Now
Ever wished you could move mountains with your mind? Well this new piece of cutting edge technology won?t quite let you do that much, but its still pretty cool. Emotiv?s EPOC headset is a lightweight headset that allows a user, after some configuration, to control computer functions and most excitingly games, with his/her mind.
Tan Le, CEO of Australian based company says, “We’re hoping to help evolve the way humans interact with machines.”
The EPOC works by putting the helmet on, and then fitting the 16 brain-wave sensors in place. Once you?re comfortable, you then the software automatically logs a set of background emotions and expressions. Users are then required to image 11 cognitive actions, i.e. Lift, push, pull, for a few seconds each.
The user?s brain is analysed and the EPOC is even capable of increasing difficulty levels in games if it detects that you are bored.
“Telekinesis has always been one of mankind’s fantasies,” Le says. “After Star Wars came out, I wanted to use the Force to make my cereal box float into my hands.”
The technology was developed from decades of research on brain waves. Scientists have used ?skull caps? loaded with sensors that intercept brain activity in a processes called ?electroencephalography?, and Emotiv have spent the last five years developing it a commercial product.
“For now, we’re focused on the video game application (for EPOC), but we see possibilities beyond this, such as market research or health care,” Le says.
Monica Fabiani, a professor at the University of Illinois psychology and neuroscience program believes the EPOC headset could be of more use to medial scientists. “Often, when companies make products that are comfortable and easy to use by the public, interesting applications on the medical side” follow, she says.
Acknowledging that medical use of their new gadget is a long way off, Emotiv?s vice president of engineering Steve Sapiro said: “Anything like that would require approval from the Food and Drug Administration, which takes years. But the possibility is there, if simply from a cost standpoint. Our product is in the hundreds, whereas most EEG machines cost between $50,000 and $250,000.”
Sounds like Emotiv are on to something, but gamers aren?t quite convinced: “I’m not sure it’s at the point of being as precise as it would need to be,” said Brian Crecente of gamer blog Kotaku. “I don’t see it being a mainstream device in this form. That said, it’s certainly beyond a gimmick. Game issues aside, it’s uncanny.”
Others see it as a gimmick that may work in the same way that Nintendo?s Wii has taken off. Jamil Moledina, executive director of the Game Developers Conference said: “When the [item on-screen] did what I thought it to do, it was surreal,” says Moledina, who concedes his learning curve was steep. “This is science-fiction stuff. [Emotiv] has jumped the first hurdle in simply making the device. Now, they have to make it work with most games. If they do, this could hit the jackpot.”
The device could make its way on to one of the nets largest gaming community?s, Second Life, if Le?s comments are anything to go by: “Right now, when you want your (Second Life) avatar to grin, you type it, which is completely unnatural,” Le says. “If we have it our way, EPOC will make avatars truly come to life.”
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