digi-technik Blog

The Emotiv headphones may be a revolutionary device that enables a user to interact with the virtual environment by reading his/her ‘thoughts’. Basically, the device accounts the brain’s electrical signals and translates your thinking-orders into virtual actions.

The Emotiv headphone works by employing a device called an EEG, or electroencephalograph, to monitor the brain waves (and emotional responses) of every gamer, almost immediately translating those readings into virtual reactions, actions and movement.

The sensible purposes might be enormously decent, but additionally possibly hideous. On the plus side, disabled people might have their lives completely turned around, regaining an enormous amount of independence by thought-controlling numerous household appliances. To develop the concept, paraplegic and quadriplegic users could create thought-controlled virtual avatars and cooperate with others in real time.

The possibility to develop the world of games is also very evident, as Jane McGrath, of How StuffWorks.com, describes,

“If the EEG gaming technology eventually catches on, it could revolutionize the way people think about video games in much the same way the Nintendo Wii did (or perhaps more). On the one hand, with its facial expression interpretations, the Emotiv EPOC attempts to close the gap further between the real world and the virtual world to create a more realistic experience, much like the Wii does. On the other hand, the Emotiv EPOC also tries to bridge the gap between human thought and the outside world to create an experience that’s less like reality and more fantastical and dreamlike. The technology behind EPOC eliminates the middleman of motion altogether — a staggering thought to consider”.

Of a potential downside, that’s potentially chasmic, McGrath states.

“Should researchers continue making more breakthroughs to advance EEG technology, it could plausibly lead to computers that can, in essence, read someone’s mind. Those with the technology could be privy to the private thoughts, opinions and emotions of others. Granted, this could be very far off, considering where the technology (and our understanding of the human brain) is now. Nevertheless, we can’t rule out the possibility entirely. Perhaps we shouldn’t dismiss the prospect of Thought Police (like that in George Orwell’s “1984”) as mere alarmism”.

Simply, this thing creeps me out. I just don’t like the idea of a thought-activated computer, it makes my body crawl. But hey, that is just me. Also, in the event you’re a male of the species, you would likely be dredging up porn sites every seven seconds.

It’s also been suggested in some quarters for which you’ll have the capacity to basically consider an individual and that said computer system will automatically place a phone call to them. The last thing I want to do is be contemplating some old girlfriend of suchlike and abruptly end up calling her. No, just no. That’s a can of worms that simply doesn’t need opening up, thanks very much.

On the other hand, whatever my opinion on it happen to be (and, for now at least, I’ve the choice to keep them private), the Emotiv Epoc headphones will shortly be there for the common customer, priced around $299 (that’s slightly below £200 to us Brits).