October 09, 2008
Brainwave-Controlled Video Game
Over the years, the way that we interact with games has changed to allow increasing levels of sophistication and control. We evolved from keyboards to joysticks to touch and motion controlled games such as the Wii which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via movement and pointing through the use of accelerometer and optical sensor technology.
This week at the Tokyo Game Show, a game creator partners with brainwave-reading (EEG) technology to create a the next generation of brain-controlled games. Square Enix, a famous gaming creator (Final Fantasy and et al) has partnered with NeuroSky a company that creates devices that can harness brain-waves to interact with technology for a prototype of what the future of gaming may look like.
The headset developed by Neurosky, looks like headphones but contains an electrode that reads brain patterns via the wearer's forehead, and by reading the players' "minds," the headset allows them to interact with the game on-screen.
The device is described as both affordable and easy to use, making it ideal for consumer applications like gaming. While controlling a game solely with your mind has been tried before, with limited success, projects like this bring the dream closer to reality, especially with the participation of a prominent game developer.
Is it time for clinical applications for this device yet?
Previous AATP Weblog posts on brainwave technology:
Co-Adaptive Brain-Machine Interface
Brain Control Headset For Games
Posted by rsk at October 9, 2008 12:07 PM