Mind Games
The Washington Post has an article about the Star Wars Force Trainer, which is due out in stores this Fall. This toy uses a similar Neurosky headset that we use here in our Quantemo lab. One plays the game by donning the headset and concentrating on moving a ball up a plastic tube. Break your concentration and poof, the ball falls back down the tube. Check out this video of someone using the toy.
Our Neurosky headset came with some demonstration software that allows the user to move and burn items on the screen with his mind. This is based on whether the user is attentive or meditative. I have given this my best and have indeed been successful at burning things with my mind - a fun endeavor. But it is HARD.
I think it is exciting to see brain interface devices (BID) hit the consumer market. Mindball is another intriguing game that has been on the market for a while. In the next few years, I wouldn’t be surprised to see many of these types of games popping up, training today’s children (and adult-children) to have more control over their minds. What are the implications? Right …