Muh mind iz in yer base, killin yer dudes

Kelkyen

Main article  -  http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7254078.stm



Alright, for those too lazy to read, the wireless helmet (which looks like a primitive SQUID from Strange Days) has a gyro and a contacts that pick up on brain activity.  Push, pull, lift, drop, rotate.  They also say it can/will be able to pickup on facial expressions.  Saw no mention of WASD, or mouse control.



Sounds like a nice addition to the controls of games.  The facial expressions of the player being translated in game alone would be worth it. 



Looking over price, weight, and size (tech always gets cheaper, lighter. smaller over time) I wonder if it will work with everyone.  This isn't psychic powers where fictitious mind strength comes into play, it appears to run off of muscle control, and as a species we are all more or less wired the same.  The more or less is where the doubt comes in.  I have heard (but wont say with certainty) men are better at gross motor skills requiring speed and force.  Women on the other hand, average better coordination, and manipulating tiny objects with ease.  They are also usually superior at spatial locations and object memory tasks.  If a game ever has a mental "lock-on" feature I think us guys are screwed.



A couple vids I found...



http://youtube.com/watch?v=wIrLYdQu7tM



http://youtube.com/watch?v=YxMux4uEkLI



http://youtube.com/watch?v=0TKhPZAhlLA

Liddokun

I'd probably categorize this with the same category as those P5 infra-red gaming gloves which sounds great in the papers but are actually pieces of crap gimmick devices when you put them to practical use. I bought those P5 gloves for $75 bucks (just to experiment on it) and they DO NOT work at all and even if they do work, imagine how painful your arm is gonna be after 3 hours of aiming it at the computer screen /  infra-red sensor modules.

Hey I'm all for innovative technologies but at this current stage the device looks and sounds crude and primitive and doesn't look at all practical. You gotta consider a few things like:

1. Weight of the device on your head. If it is heavy, then imagine wearing that things on your head for hours.

2. Practical use and accuracy. The device might be a good control device for some types of games (probably simple games which require minimal interaction) and will be horrible for others (like an action game or any games that require quick response time). One of the requirement of a device to enter the gaming is the accuracy of the device.. also the feel of using a device with another part of your body (Except your hands) can feel "different" and "uneasy" for some people. Since the device itself uses EEG technology the current level of refine for that type of technology is still very rough at best.

3. Cost. Really now.. I don't think a lot of people will splurge $299 for another set of control device or HID (Human Interface Device) when you already got a good ole standby like mouse, keyboard, keypad, joystick, gamepads, track ball etc.

4. The description of the device says it monitors the movement of your head thru a gyroscope... do you REALLY want to play a game using the movement of your head/neck ? Hmm maybe if you're paralyzed neck down or something @_@;

I'm glad for innovative devices but it's way too primitive and impractical for daily use... I'd say give it another 10-15 years of development time then yeah it'll be a cool device.

paulscott

not spending any money on one till there's one that can sense keyboard and mouse control.

it should be in one location in the brain since it's mostly muscle memory.

Kelkyen

I'm not saying we should all go out and buy one the day of release, I'm just saying "look whats coming" is all.

Like any new toy, the first generation is bulky, limited, and often heavy.  That said, sooner or later someone will make it smaller, expand the abilities, and lighter.  Quite often, the original designer of a new toy doesn't make the big bucks, it's the second or third company that comes along with a new angle.

The possibilities of this tech are more interesting than what is currently possible.  Seeing the look of horror on an in game avatar's face before you punce on them is priceless.  Removing the keyboard and mouse would be ideal, if possible.  I don't know what the limits are of the technology.

Head turn to look around exists, look up TrackIR, and you dont need to swivel your real noggin more than an inch.  Looking off the screen won't do any good.  Now combine this with some of the newer (though not yet lightweight and cheap) VR goggles out there and you start to have a package worth buying.

If this thing gets to a weight around a pound, has a microphone and headphones in it, and costs under $60 US, I think it will do fine.  If they can tie in a set of goggles to replace the screen, and eliminate the keyboard and mouse, it'll sell even if over $200...then gamers like ourselves can be made fun of as we shudder, convulse, and talk to invisible people in the corner.

paulscott

the hard ware just needs a tiny bit a tweaking(more focus on the upper brain stem).   but the software is the hard part,  to get keyboard controls you're going to need it to be adaptive to the person, and the person is going to have to spend a few days/weeks training it.