First Consumer PC Brain Driven Controller

[lucky]

Já me estou a ver a jogar CS:S com esta cena muhahahaha

Emotiv Set To Deploy First Consumer PC Brain Driven Controller



Behold "The Epoc" by Emotiv, the first consumer brain-wave driven controller. Note the built in battery, gyroscope and sensors. (Source: Emotiv, IGN)The new headset from Emotiv can read your mind, or more precisely, your mind's electrical signals

Researchers have made great inroad into probing the mysteries of the mind. IBM recently fully simulated a mouse brain using its Blue Gene supercomputers. Researchers also have gained key insight into the nervous system and the senses, learning for the first time how the nervous system changes on the fly to create the sense of smell.

Now researchers have put their hard earned discoveries to the ultimate test -- video gaming. DailyTech had previously reported on OCZ's progress in developing a "brain mouse" a long running project of OCZ's, which was demoed to DailyTech at CES '08. Now another gaming company will challenge OCZ with plans to release to market a consumer mind control device for video gaming, late this year.

Tech firm Emotiv developed the advanced mind-controlled gaming device. The device, titled "The Epoc," will retail for $299 and provide advanced control by reading electrical signals generated among the brain. Among its key features is its ability to detect over 30 facial expressions, emotions and actions based on these signals.

OCZ vice president of technology development Dr. Michael Schuette is excited about the announcement. "It is great ot see more efforts going into the same brain-computer-interface direction."

Tan Le, president of US/Australian firm Emotiv, says her company has achieved the first commercial grade brain-computer interface. She describes its basic premise and potential, stating, "It picks up electrical activity from the brain and sends wireless signals to a computer. It allows the user to manipulate a game or virtual environment naturally and intuitively."

Ms. Le describes the controller in more detail and Emotiv's unique line of business, explaining, "Emotiv is a neuro-engineering company and we've created a brain computer interface that reads electrical impulses in the brain and translates them into commands that a video game can accept and control the game dynamically."

A point emphasized by Ms. Le is that while the technology is existing, it has never been brought to the consumer market before. She sums up this breakthrough, stating, "This is the first headset that doesn't require a large net of electrodes, or a technician to calibrate or operate it and [doesn't] require gel on the scalp. It also doesn't cost tens of thousands of dollars."

The Epoc relies on a technology known as Electroencephalography (EEG), a method of detecting of electrical signals from the brain. The technology, which has been used in the medical field for over a hundred years spawned the idea of a brain-based controller in the 1970s.

One useful application of The Epoc in video gaming is to control avatars, virtual digitalized representations of the user. By detecting facial expressions, a user wearing the headset who smiles will be mimicked by their in-game avatar. The ability to insert facial expressions, such as winks and smiles into games will give them new depth according to Ms. Le. For example, she said, If you laughed or felt happy after killing a character in a game then your virtual buddy could admonish you for being callous."

The device is worn comfortably on the users head and communicates wirelessly via a USB dongle plugged into the user's PC. Besides its EEG sensors it also makes use of a built in gyroscope. Among the supported abilities provided are excitement, meditation, tension and frustration; facial expressions such as smile, laugh, wink, shock (eyebrows raised), anger (eyebrows furrowed); and cognitive actions such as push, pull, lift, drop and rotate (on six different axis).

The device allows users to manipulate objects like never before in three dimensional game space, leaving many to fantasize what a game of Half Life 2 might be like with the device. However the device isn't all fun and games. Emotiv is also working with IBM to market the device to provide "strategic enterprise business markets and virtual worlds". The device and its brethren are keys to developing a workable 3D internet and virtual communication, in the future, said Paul Ledak, vice president, IBM Digital Convergence.

Schuette adds, "As to what Emotiv has accomplished, it is virtually impossible for us to compare it with the Neural Impulse Actuator since we have never tested it, nor do we know of anybody outside their company who has."

While "The Epoc" may be a bit pricey, congratulations to Emotiv is deserved, for creating the first true consumer gaming brain interface. The only remaining test is to see how well it can handle an intense round of competitive gaming.

FONTE: http://www.dailytech.com/Emotiv+Set+To+ ... e10787.htm

[lucky]

Uma coisa similar da OCZ:

OCZ Mind Controlled Gamer Mouse Nears Production

In the world of competitive video gaming, split second reactions are essential. Fingers are fast, but not always fast enough. Some players turn to drugs to try to pump up their performances. OCZ instead dreamt up and created the Neural Impulse Actuator (NIA), the world's first gaming control system that forgoes tactile inputs in favor of inputs from muscle movement, brain waves, and glance (eye movement) levels.

OCZ demoed the device in fully working form to DailyTech one late night at CES 2008. OCZ VP of Technology Development, Dr. Michael Schuette, had the device set up in his suite, hooked up to a gaming rig via USB.

He first showed how the system is calibrated to deal with individual user physiology. You simply put on the headband, which fits snuggly around your head at temple level, and then fire up the calibration GUI. The GUI contains sections that allow the user to calibrate each of the input types -- muscle movement, brain waves, and glandular levels.

For the muscle movement, the device tracks muscles in your forehead and around your eyes. When calibrated correctly, these facial muscles provide almost effortless directional movement far smoother than with a keyboard. You can fine tune it to easily detect the difference between turning and strafing; a critical difference to FPS players.

Brain waves are similarly calculated. Alpha and Beta waves are both monitored by the device and can be assigned multiple inputs. These inputs are highly useful for changing weapons. By utilizing what Dr. Schuette dubbed a "Tourettes impulse" he demonstrated he could raise beta waves to a high enough plateau to switch guns. A high threshold is typically set for these values, to avoid say, changing your weapon if you are thinking about having to get up for work, or other stressful thoughts.

The last input is glance (eye movement) which can also be useful for directional movement.

Once the calibration was demoed, Dr. Schuette loaded up his "best" configuration. After loading, the program sits on your desktop, ready for use with any game you fire up. It uses Direct X and multithreading to minimize any performance hits. Unreal Tournament III started up and was demoed. Before long, DailyTech was witness to one of the most unique death-match games in history. Using the mouse only for aiming Dr. Schuette deftly moved and changed guns using only his mind and facial muscles. The result was a fluid zen-like play of kill after kill as he cut through the bot opponents like a hot knife through butter.

While results will likely vary, and depend on the quality of calibration, DailyTech came away from the test confident that when OCZ releases its device, which should be very soon, it will be very functional and a practical, if a bit unusual, option for gamers looking to get an edge on the competition.

Users also benefit from the device doubling as a sports and mental conditioning tool, as it can help you monitor your alpha and beta waves during meditation and visualization. This, as OCZ points out, makes the device not only good for fragging your friends, but also for visualizing and subsequently beating your friends in tennis, soccer, and any other competitive endeavor you choose.

FONTE: http://www.dailytech.com/OCZ+Mind+Contr ... e10379.htm

[L0pht]

Uma coisa similar da OCZ:

OCZ Mind Controlled Gamer Mouse Nears Production

já à venda em portugal, e por um preço de chorar por mais vou comprar, no princípio do ano que vem.

pelos visto demora semanas ou meses a habituar e configurar, em reviews fala-se de idêntico a "ser como aprender a andar de bicicleta pela primeira vez."

existe um outro que vai sair só para o ano, mas não é compatível com todo o software, tem uma arquitectura de interpretação baseado em padrões, mas necessita de software compatível.

[lucky]

Há malta que nunca aprende a andar de bicicleta... já pensaste nisso? Esse gadget pode não dar para ti... qualquer coisa a ver com as capacidades inatas de um individuo... xDxDxD

Talvez experimente uma coisa dessas também, mas eu já sou tão pato a jogar com o rato que com isso devo de andar uns bons meses sem limpar o sebo a ninguém...

[L0pht]

Há malta que nunca aprende a andar de bicicleta... já pensaste nisso? Esse gadget pode não dar para ti... qualquer coisa a ver com as capacidades inatas de um individuo... xDxDxD

Talvez experimente uma coisa dessas também, mas eu já sou tão pato a jogar com o rato que com isso devo de andar uns bons meses sem limpar o sebo a ninguém...

a imposição de objectivos determina a capacidade de executar uma tarefa mais facilmente. creio que não deve ser preciso um rocket scientist para configurar um periférico, eu já sei que é complexo a configuração do dito cujo, mas não sou iniciado na informática, aqui a diferença é que não compares um dispositivo revolucionário a um piloto da formula 1 que faz 3 ou 4 correcções numa curva e que ao mesmo tempo ainda tem disponibilidade mental para tecer considerações sobre a corrida que está a decorrer. o michael schumacher fazia isso, e aí, sim acho que é preciso nascer com capacidades para tal

[lucky]

Há malta que nunca aprende a andar de bicicleta... já pensaste nisso? Esse gadget pode não dar para ti... qualquer coisa a ver com as capacidades inatas de um individuo... xDxDxD

Talvez experimente uma coisa dessas também, mas eu já sou tão pato a jogar com o rato que com isso devo de andar uns bons meses sem limpar o sebo a ninguém...

a imposição de objectivos determina a capacidade de executar uma tarefa mais facilmente. creio que não deve ser preciso um rocket scientist para configurar um periférico, eu já sei que é complexo a configuração do dito cujo, mas não sou iniciado na informática, aqui a diferença é que não compares um dispositivo revolucionário a um piloto da formula 1 que faz 3 ou 4 correcções numa curva e que ao mesmo tempo ainda tem disponibilidade mental para tecer considerações sobre a corrida que está a decorrer. o michael schumacher fazia isso, e aí, sim acho que é preciso nascer com capacidades para tal

Eu até estava era na brincadeira contigo, levaste-me a sério... sorry

Para a próxima tenho de ser mais explicito

Depois tens é de fazer uma review aqui para a malta.

[PsicoPete]

Isto até pode ser uma coisa engraçada... para quem tem cérebro.
Lucky, não irias conseguir utilizar isto pá. Um só neurónio não é suficiente nem para controlar os esfincteres quanto mais isto.


Cumps.

[L0pht]

assim que comprar prometo fazer uma longa review, uma de meses!