Neurosky, Tan Le, and related research

[lightfire22000]

Should I move this to Technology?

Due to considerable advances in both EEG and automated EEG reading technology, a lot of people have attempted to constructed "Mind Control" devices. Tan Le is speaking here.

Sorry, I'm not allowed to post URLs yet otherwise I would show links

A rival company, Neurosky, I believe is the leader.


I have experience with the Open EEG project and EEG machines and I question how practical these controllers are yet. I think it's scientifically possible to move images on the screen by thought, but I think that they may be exaggerating their current level of competence.

[chillzero]

Welcome to the forum.
You can type a link out by omitting the www, and putting (dot) instead of .

We can then fix it for you in another post.

[lightfire22000]

Thanks chillzero. The Neurosky website is neurosky(dot)com.

The Tan Le video to which I was referring is on youtube.
youtube(dot)com/watch?v=40L3SgmcPDQ

[chillzero]

www.neurosky.com (http://www.neurosky.com)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=40L3SgmcPDQ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40L3SgmcPDQ)

hmmm.... some major claims there.
The Youtube video seems to have been removed?

It doesn't sem to be actual mind control, but more a matter of a different kind of interface using different signals than pushing a button or waving a remote. It's not actually the mind making somethign happen, it's either head muscle movements or brain signals (depending which piece of technology you're reading about - the site links a Washington Post article that mentions advances for disabled people) being interpreted by electronics to force a certain specific response.

[lightfire22000]

It's advertised as a "mind control" device.
I think I can post links now. I forgot to write a G as uppercase.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40L3SGmcPDQ

I'm getting into semantics now, but a lot of legitimate researchers such as Steven Pinker define the mind as "what the brain does," to an extent that includes brain signals. Also, look up Andrew Newberg. While the distinction between mind and brain is quite vague, one could make a claim that they're attempting a form of Psychokinesis.
I think their goals are quite possible, but I don't think they mastered the technology as much as they've advertised. As a current engineering intern with a neurological disorder, I think that reading brainwaves is about a thousand times harder than interpreting EKG(for the heart.) The brainwaves that are emitted can be different for different people even when they think about the same object sometimes. There are extreme challenges in calibrating these devices that they don't address all that much, not proportionate to the required effort at least.

[chillzero]

It's advertised as a "mind control" device.

Yeah .... and?
Red Bull is advertised as giving you wings.

The links I read from the website aren't actually discussing mind control as done by futuristic characters in comic books. As I said above they are using much more mundane methods to interpret commands to a computer.

I'm hoping some of our more scientific people here will chip in.
I'll look at the YouTube clip later, and comment again then.

[Cuddles]

I think calling it "mind control" is a bit misleading, since that is usually taken to mean controlling someone's mind, whereas this is the exact opposite.

As for the device itself, it looks pretty cool. I've seen articles on this kind of thing as cutting edge research, but I didn't know even basic stuff like this was developed enough for commercial release. We're still quite a way from the sci-fi mental control of everything idea, but it is looking more and more feasible.

The big problem is that everything (that I've heard of at least) along these lines can't actually read your mind as such, it just recognises patterns. That means that, as with older speech recognition programs, you need to train either the reader or your brain before you can use it. I think this particular incarnation is unlikely to be anything more than a short-lived gimmick, but it will be interesting to see where the technology goes in the future.

[Seren_]

OCZ is already selling a device to be used as a game controller.

http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/ocz_peripherals/nia-neural_impulse_actuator

There is some demo video around.

At least it looks more useful than a "star wars force trainer" seen on Neurosky website.

[chillzero]

While I appreciate the lack of needing metal probes in the brain to use this, it is still closer on the scale to a keyboard than to jedi mind tricks. The technology advances are fantastic, but I would like to suggest you stop tying it to 'jedi mind control' and more to the simply fascinating thing that it is in its own right.

This is not about people being able to control unconnected devices from remote locations. It is about telling a program what to do using programmed responses to recogniseable input.

[Cuddles]

While I appreciate the lack of needing metal probes in the brain to use this, it is still closer on the scale to a keyboard than to jedi mind tricks. The technology advances are fantastic, but I would like to suggest you stop tying it to 'jedi mind control' and more to the simply fascinating thing that it is in its own right.

Who exactly are you referring to? The Jedi thing is a game made by Neurosky. Certainly no-one in this thread appears to have claimed any of the things you are complaining about.

This is not about people being able to control unconnected devices from remote locations. It is about telling a program what to do using programmed responses to recogniseable input.

Of course. Has anyone here claimed otherwise?

[chillzero]

It was an impression gained from the OP which linked the two together.

[lightfire22000]

chillzero,
You misunderstand the intention of the OP. The technology is fascinating, but I don't think they have developed it as much as they claim.

[chillzero]

chillzero,
You misunderstand the intention of the OP. The technology is fascinating, but I don't think they have developed it as much as they claim.
...which is what I have been saying.