"Emotiv" Mind Control Technology

Here it is!

http://www.emotiv.com/index.php

Still very new, but has great potential.

Interfaces are becoming more and more intuitive, as well as less and less hands on, through two separate fields of research. Both approaches further our progression towards "becoming one with the machine". The first, focuses on touch technology and is the biggest as of right now. The second says, "Why do we need to touch anything at all? Why can't we do it with a wave of our hands, or even the thoughts in our mind?"

Computers are becoming a bigger part of our lives and our "ease of use" with them is getting better, to a remarkable degree. Let's take a deeper look at the first line of new interfaces.

Touch-Tech has been around for a long time and has manifested itself in many ways, but let's jump to the first fun and interesting one, the iPhone. The iPhone's icon-based, touch interface with life-like scrolling has really started a revolution. It's rein as the world's hottest new gadget quickly spurred on development from competitors. Before long, everyone had a touch-phone, and speaking from personal use with one, this all-in-one portable connection device is really the way of the future. Having access to the World Wide Wed anywhere I want? Being able to stream media almost instantly? Pandora Radio and Youtube? Google; Maps, Images, and all the immediate answers to my questions I want? Never having to not know something? Being connected to everyone in the world at all times anywhere I am? And SOOO much more.... I could never go back. This level of inter-connectivity is something that our ancestors could never have imagined, and it's only getting better. I think our generation remarkably undervalues the benefits of our age.

Speaking of getting better, the newest form of the touch phones is called "Surface Technology" and is headed by Microsoft. I've added a link because this technology really is beyond words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrPX2xLggSc check it out! ; )

Basically, it's a coffee table version of the iPhone. EXCEPT, it is designed for multiple users, has object recognition, and will wirelessly connect with external devices. A great example of this is taking a picture with your digital camera, setting it down on the table, having the pictures automatically "spill out" and be ready for interaction by multiple people simultaneously (this interaction is like that of the iPhone), THEN, being able to drag an image (or movie) over to another device, like a cell phone, and have it be put on automatically. SO, essentially, you've just taken a photo, played with the pictures, and shared/transferred them INSTANTLY, EFFORTLESSLY and WIRELESSLY. If that doesn't make you shit your pants then nothing will, and this is just the beginning. These tables are already in use in bars, restaurants, hotels, etc. in major cities throughout the United States, and probably beyond. Eventually, these surfaces will be everywhere and take the shape of every kind of surface there is. Next up, walls. There are even projection technologies that allow a user to walk up to any surface and interact, by touch, with pretty much ANY surface. This requires a portable device.

Here's a video of the photo sharing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVT9hs-6KpU Enjoy.

Next, I'm going to talk about the second approach. Now, if you haven't seen "Minority Report", go out and watch it NOW. That movie not only has a great representation of a future technology that ACTUALLY EXISTS, but also has some great ideas about the future of advertising (I'll save that discussion for another post though). What I'm talking about is the gesture based interface he uses to have high-speed access to large amounts of information. He wears gloves with lights on two fingers and a thumb which allow cameras to track his motion. This technology exists, and it is not new. Movie producers have used similar tracking systems to create realistic motion of animated characters. Anyone ever seen how "Gollum" from "The Lord of the Rings" was created? Go check it out.

When I first saw this technology in the movie, I knew instantly that it was the way to go. But don't take MY word for it... take a look, it's in a... on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyMVZqJk8s4

Now imagine that in 3-D.

This kind of technology has potential applications in; military operations (obviously), graphic design, business, gaming... honestly, I don't think any industry will be left unaffected.

Imagine, multi-player video games this way. It is also another step towards Virtual Reality. Only two things would be missing: 1. the physical sensation of holding/touching something and 2. the physical sensation of movement/walking. The first can be simulated with chambered gloves that fill in, in appropriate places and to the appropriate degree, with a gel, to give the user a feeling of pressure. This technology already exists in research laboratories. The second is a little harder, I haven't seen anything that can accurately simulate walking. I'm sure someone, somewhere is working on it though.

Virtual Reality aside, I can imagine remote drones being controlled through this kind of interface. This could be useful for military and scientific endeavors. Also, this could be used to "put" the operator into worlds that are well beyond ours in terms of scale. Imagine a geneticist being able to move through giant strands of DNA, or astronomist being able to fly through outer-space, faster then the speed of light, to examine patterns of movement or spacial relationships. Imagine this tool in education.

The possibilities are truly endless.

Another field of study has been in mind-control. Not as in people controlling our minds, but rather our minds controlling the world around us. A simple example of this is a kid toy that uses signals from the brain to control a small fan under a ball. By thinking, a person can control the height of the ball.

http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1880784,00.html

And if you think THAT is something, think again.

Scientists have been able to implant a microchip into a monkey's brain and, with practice, the monkey has learned to control a mechanical arm with nothing but it's thoughts. Another pants shitter if you ask me. Anyway, here it is for your viewing pleasure...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK1WBA9Xl3c

Eventually, we will just have to think something, and it will happen.

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-Clear Vision

IMAGE BY: Jessica Protsman

http://www.myspace.com/artbyjessicaprotsman