Video games with action dictated by brain waves might become a reality by the end of the year as claimed by a San Jose-based, Silicon Valley company NeuroSky. Engineers at NeuroSky Inc. have successfully developed a prototype toy that flaunts brain wave-reading technology. The mask incorporates a built-in sensor that touches the user’s forehead to read the brain’s electrical signals. After that, these signals are transmitted to the wireless receiver inside the saber that blinks when the user starts concentrating.
The company says that such brain wave-reading toys could revolutionize the way people play video games as in case of Darth Vader game. Video games might go more stimulating and realistic. Just think that you would be able to control video game characters with your thoughts only. In case, this biofeedback is added to the “Tiger Woods PGA Tour,” only the users who congregate Zen-like meditation could nail a put. In the game “Grand Theft Auto,” the players who remain focused will have a better aim that that of those who get nervous.
The prototype developed by NeuroSky computes a user’s baseline brain-wave activity. The performance is ranked in each class on a scale of 1 to 100 and the numbers vary as a person focuses keenly, thinks of the images, or gets cut short. Koo Hyoung Lee, a NeuroSky co-founder from South Korea said:
Most physical games are really mental games. You must maintain attention at very high levels to succeed. This technology makes toys and video games more lifelike.
Another firm dubbed Boosters claim the brain wave-reading technology to help kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, and mood disorders. It would even add to the mental focus of the kids. But the question that arises is that whether the people using biofeedback devices will be efficient enough to reproduce their relaxed or focused states in real life when they are not with the devices. Well, further research is needed in this context.
The prototypes of the toys are in the works at many firms. They are using electromyography (EMG), which records muscular movements, and electrooculography (EOG), which calculates changes in the retina. Emotiv Systems Inc. has developed a gel-free headset with 18 sensors while the NeuroSky’s headset has one electrode only. How about kicking your video game opponent without any joystick? The idea sounds cool and you might be doing the same by the end of this year.
Via: IHT
