Revolutionising digital input, the Emotiv wireless headset detects brain waves to enable true mind-control for intuitive and expressive software and gaming use. The potential is staggering. Prototypes allow facial expressions, body language, and movement to have direct control over computer functions and processes.
This technology has particular reference in Virtual Worlds where more natural real world actions can directly effect your virtual experience rather than the traditional and rather clumsy mouse and keyboard system.
“Our mission is to create the ultimate interface for the next-generation of human-machine interaction, by evolving the interaction between humans and electronic devices beyond the limitations of conscious interface. Emotiv has created technologies that allow machines to take both conscious and non-conscious inputs directly from your mind.”
Article – http://www.news.com/8301-13772_3-9874515-52.html
Website – http://emotiv.com/
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
‘Human-Machine interaction’, I don’t want think about what I think the inventors have in mind for this mind control device. They ought to get out more and interact with ‘Humans’ in the real world, perhaps their idle minds wouldn’t concoct such an idle notion.
BM
BM! This isn’t about scary science or artificial intelligence scaremongery – this is a genuinly useful solution to a flawed mentality that to use a computer you need to use a mouse and keyboard! It’s a natural evolution of an essential input device – we’ve seen the joystick, we’ve seen the touch screen, the motion driven WII controller, the touch manipulation techniques of the iPhone – all aimed at making the process of putting thoughts into action easier and more natural.
Here we have an opportunity to draw straight from the source – the mind itself – it’s a small step along the exciting path of neurotechnology. This has huge relevance in the virtual reality context, a way of using the internet and interacting with people over long distances which is gaining increasing support as awareness of its potential and reality enhancing solutions grows, acceptance sets in, and businesses worldwide begin to actively adopt and embrace it.
Taking the 2D web into 3D has it’s problems, suddenly, to interact with this environment requires a whole new approach and traditional input devices are clumsy and inefficient. Being able to move, gesture and control what you see through thought is an incredibly natural and human step to take, allowing you to manipulate your virtual presence with greater comfort and ease whilst you multi-task – great for virtual conferencing of the future.
And ofcourse remember, the device doesn’t control your mind – your mind controls the device – this is the exciting thing! Where this goes, how it develops is an unknown, there are dangers, ethical and social questions that will crop up and indeed increasingly do as we dive deeper into our digital culture. We cannot escape change – but we should take care that it heads in the direction we want and need!
With scientists creating bionic eyes which replace the cognitive functionality of portions of the brain damaged by disease or tragic accident, we will start seeing a wider range of brain and mind related technologies cropping up – the possibility of brain enhancements, implants, rewiring may seem far fetched and extreme today – but is entirely plausible, less a question of “if”, and more one of “when” and “why” – the stepping stones are being laid for the reality of our science fiction dreams and nightmares.