Neural Interfaces Hyped at GDC
I blogged about brain computer interfaces (BCIs) back in October. At that time, researchers were starting to demonstrate some interesting applications, such as using them to control avatars in Second Life. Now that GDC is upon us, neural interfaces are causing quite a stir. Robert Rice (no relation), writes in his excellent VW/MMORPG blog about the warm reception BCIs are receiving at GDC. And yet, notes Rice, they are really neither new nor revolutionary. The only thing different about them now is they are cheap to produce. He also notes Emotive System’s unit doesn’t really read emotions at all; it’s simply an inexpensive EEG unit.
The technology doesn’t read your mind. Do I need to repeat that? It doesn’t read your mind. It doesn’t connect to your brain, and it has no idea what you are thinking or feeling … What it does do, is measure electric signals, of which there are different types, locations, and strengths, that can be assigned (think key binding in your favorite FPS) to particular inputs.
So yes, it is absolutely possible to use this tech to do basic control of a game, but not much beyond that. You have to learn basic biofeedback techniques (breathing, concentration, temperature, and brainwave *type* generation) which is fairly easy to do with a decent feedback loop and sensitive equipment.
It’s a good read, and provides a realistic take on what might be a future wave of interface options for gaming systems. That said, it’s a cool concept, and perhaps an incremental step toward a more refined, sophisticated, yet inexpensive BCI. As I pointed out in October, the really exciting thing about this is the potential for inexpensive assistive technology for the physically disabled. We’ll see where it all leads.
Different ways to control videogames, beyond the traditional joystick, are riding a wave started by the Nintendo Wii’s controller. There were earlier efforts like force-feedback products and virtual gloves, but none attained the popularity of the Wii input devices.
Talking about the Wii is a good excuse to run another LOL cat:
February 26, 2008 at 9:07 pm
[...] Gadgetreporter.com - Your Guide to the Gadget World placed an interesting blog post on Neural Interfaces Hyped at GDCHere’s a brief overview [...]
March 13, 2008 at 8:59 pm
[...] starting to see a variety of non-traditional input devices for videogames, from the Wiimote to Brain Computer Interfaces. Now, a company, Ambient Corp., has demonstrated a working model of a neckband that can translate [...]