The future is coming
There's something really quite freaky about being able to control something with the power of the mind, but Sega Toys and NeuroSky are putting their brains together to bring a range of next generation products that will allow us to do exactly that. The two companies have yet to be specific on their plans for this futuristic entertainment, but it's believed that the technology will firstly be used to control toys, such as robots, and then could be used in conjunction with some Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 games.They wouldn't be the first to try the idea of mind control in videogames. The Atari Miindlink, a headset that was never released, was said to read resistance from muscles in the users forehead and interpret them into commands on the screen.
Check it out at the Atari Musuem.
The goal of the partnership between SEGA toys and Neurosky is to join forces to take ‘play’ to the next level by pioneering toys which allow players to use brainwaves and other bio-signals to control them.
"SEGA TOYS is taking play to the next level, and we at NeuroSky are proud to be a part of this break-through in next generation entertainment", said NeuroSky CEO Stanley Yang. “With our ThinkGear bio-sensor technology and innovative capacity of SEGA TOYS, our collaboration with SEGA TOYS will empower consumers to intimately interact with or control a toy, using their mind.”
Over the last several years, SEGA TOYS has been actively pursuing strategic business alliances with partners both inside and outside the toy industry. Kenji Yokozeki, Managing Director of SEGA TOYS Co. Ltd., is quoted as saying: “We are enthusiastic about the potential we see in developing a unique franchised product line featuring NeuroSky’s technology. At SEGA TOYS, our priority is to provide customers with value based on new types of play, and NeuroSky provides us with the core technology to meet this challenge."
Neurosky do have a competitor in this market, with Emotiv Systems Inc. who has developed a gel-free headset with 18 sensors which they are planning to release next year. According to ABC Money: " Besides monitoring basic changes in mood and focus, Emotiv's bulkier headset detects brain waves indicating smiles, blinks, laughter, even conscious thoughts and unconscious emotions. Players could kick or punch their video game opponent -- without a joystick or mouse."The prototype has already been tested out on Xbox 360, Playstaiton 3 and Wii.
Sources: ABC Money, Atari Musuem. and The Economist.
