Mind-Reading Machines

Imagine that a startup has created a device that is controlled by brainwaves in the cerebral cortex of the player. Would you consider using a product where the interface is controlled directly by your brain, as opposed to a keyboard?

46% Maybe, but only after years of testing
37% Yes, sign me up for that beta test
17% No, sounds dangerous

Source: CDW poll of 289 BizTech readers

A new generation of computer games is on the way — video games controlled by the human brain. While the technology sounds as if it came straight off the pages of a science fiction novel, it is in fact based on recent developments in neurology.

By pairing a biosensor and a signal processing system with a device that translates incoming data from the brain, it is possible to transmit those data feeds to a computer. So say the gaming startups NeuroSky and Emotiv.

How It Works

The brain consists of neurons, which work by transmitting electrical (as well as chemical) signals. This system is based on the same principles as the electroencephalogram (EEG) test procedure, in which the computer records the electrical potentials generated by nerve cells in the cerebral cortex. Neurological research has shown that different brainwave patterns indicate different emotional states, such as awareness, a meditative state or drowsiness. These waves are recognized by the device, which measures them and makes a conclusion as to what command should be performed. Each distinguishable combination of brainwaves triggers an execution of the appropriate algorithm. For example, brainwaves that indicate a high level of concentration while a specific object is selected on the screen cause the object to levitate.

NeuroSky. The San Jose, Calif., company used a single electrode medical device in order to gain necessary information from the brainwaves and turned it into a consumer gadget. Their invention is able to detect commands originating from facial movements such as smiles or winks, as well as commands originating in emotional states that are detected through brain signals. Their device monitors the player’s concentration level, so that when the player focuses enough on a single thought and the measured level reaches a specified threshold, the system generates a signal that is wirelessly transmitted to the computer.

The computer, in turn, generates the appropriate reaction according to a pre-defined algorithm. In a video game simulation, players have been able to control objects on the screen by the brainwaves they generate. Players could also order objects to move slower or faster and levitate them higher or lower. NeuroSky’s CEO, Stanley Yang, hopes to shrink the device to thumbnail size, enabling easy wear for consumers.

Emotiv. San Francisco-based Emotiv is another startup channeling electrical signals emitted by the brain into actions on a computer. Like NeuroSky, Emotiv developed a system that can distinguish facial expressions, conscious thoughts and emotions; it then converts the collected data into machine instructions. Emotiv’s EEG-based headset contains 16 electrodes that sense brainwave patterns indicating various conditions and wirelessly transmit the information to the computer.

In testing, players can lift and arrange stones by just thinking about their actions in a video game setting. Another application enables two players to compete in a game, where they can push and lift each other’s avatars using brain functions. Emotiv plans to wirelessly connect to game platforms, such as consoles and PCs, by as early as next year.

Both NeuroSky’s and Emotiv’s products include a headset equipped with static electrodes. However, the headsets require a customized scheme of electrode locations for each player, as some details of the brain structure can differ. In addition, the system is highly sensitive, and therefore there is a significant difficulty in gaining full control of the game, requiring 100 percent concentration from the player.
— Iddo Genuth