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1.06.2011

Thought controlled gaming may be closer than you think.

They told us there would be cookies after the experiment.


Canadian based company Interaxon is working on a interesting technology they are dubbing "Thought Control Computing". At its basic level what Interaxon is offering is an opportunity to control things with your mind by converting your brainwaves into digital signals that once fed into a computer can control whatever you program it to do. Over the last few years the company has been experimenting with fun ideas such as controlling toy race cars on tracks to levitating a chair with your mind. But what peaked my interest is their presence at this years CES.

With the recent release of the the Microsoft Kinect we've entered yet another transition in the gaming industry with controller free gaming. It only natural to assume that at some point we were going to want to control games with our minds. It may be very primitive in execution, but Interaxon teamed up with SecretExit to add their brainwave technology to their game ZenBound 2. As you can see from the video below the man is controlling some of that shit with his mind!



Granted this technology is only reading the strength of your brainwaves when your concentrating and doesn't read your thoughts or know what your thinking. But, they liken the idea to tuning into a frequency. Maybe in the future they will be able to pick up the subtle differences in what your thinking. It's an interesting premise and may not lead to any exciting Hardcore games anytime soon, but I always like to speculate and think about what technology may lead to.

What do you think? Mind blowing technology or just another crazy peripheral?

11 comments:

  1. Crazy peripheral!
    This may be more technical, but I saw a toy at Target or Wal-Mart just in the last few weeks, that let's you control it with "mind power" or something...
    You have to wear a headband contraption thing...and I think the more you "concentrated" the higher the object would float.

    Well, lookie here!
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001UEUHCG?ie=UTF8&tag=coffeew-20 (promotional video here also)
    Or...
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28W6ibMI6Gc(Epicness!)
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwGuOclij6k

    The fact this company was using it with the iPad, probably means they'll charge like $5000 for it, and overprice it like most Apple products/accessories...OH SNAP!

    Also, if they were offering coffee after that experiment, I would have shown up...

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  2. Yes I want that Star Wars toy. Yeah the tech seems to be no better than what these toys can do at the moment. But boy they have a snazzy video... so it must be some super duper version of these things.

    I see that your still a Toy R'Us kid Coffee.

    ReplyDelete
  3. i dunno... this technology is about intuitive as a device that can sense how loudly you 'hum' but gloating like it can understand what your saying. Know what I mean?

    Either way, probably good brain exercise. If we keep using it, our great(x20) grandkids will probably develop some new brain powers.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Best use of this device/technology so far:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kofSYRB-vh4&feature=related

    ReplyDelete
  5. @Vermin, awesome vid. Yes I know what you mean about the tech. It really isn't doing all that much, but it all depends on the clever ways u use it that makes the difference. Either shocking people or using it for the Winter Olympics. Both are fun and errr shocking.

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  6. (unless you are physically handicapped then..) Only a lazy fata@$ would want this kind of tech to takeoff. I am MUCH more interested in truly great next-gen gaming controllers that truly make me fill like i am in the game and really doing something.

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  7. "I am MUCH more interested in truly great next-gen gaming controllers that truly make me fill like i am in the game and really doing something."

    Like the ps-move.....

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  8. Hi anonymous's,

    Consider that maybe this device might be amazing when COUPLED with the devices we use already.

    Call of Duty: show how frustrated or surprised an opponent is, or steady your aim when sniping.
    Metal Gear: If you stay calm, you can sneak better.
    Star Wars: determine how much Force is in your attacks.

    the list goes on. the standalone product i don't find impressive but the implications are!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Lets see, lets combine those 3D personal viewing glasses, the Interaxon device, PS Move, Kinect, the some sort force feedback jumpsuit and the Wii vitality sensor and whalla we'll be living the dream people!

    @Vermin Ur right they should build tech around this throat humming idea

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  10. @Butcher
    That was like... a window into my mind...

    ReplyDelete
  11. the combination of all that sounds so damn interesting.

    I especially like the idea of the Augmented Reality games coupled with this technology. There's just so much they can do with a survival horror game with those things in mind!

    Fatal Frame in your home... oh gawd!

    ReplyDelete

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