Playing mind games – literally

The virtual world of the Hollywood movie The Matrix may be one step closer to reality, with the development of technology that allows video gamers to control on-screen movements with their minds.

The virtual world of the Hollywood movie The Matrix may be one step closer to reality, with the development of technology that allows video gamers to control on-screen movements with their minds.

The EPOC headset, developed by technology group Emotiv, reads a user’s brain activity waves in order to recognise over 30 different expressions, actions and emotions.

Emotiv president and co-founder Tan Le told CNN this is merely the next natural step in the development of electronic entertainment.

“Being able to control a computer with your mind is the ultimate quest of human-machine interaction,” he says. “When integrated into games, virtual worlds and other simulated environments, this technology will have a profound impact on the user’s experience.”

But some aren’t so sure. Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy production director Rick Hall, while enthusiastic about new technology, urges caution: “A wireless, remote, brain reading/writing device that can scan, interpret, and communicate with someone across the room, without them even knowing it – connect that to the internet… and talk about brainwashing possibilities,” he says. “What if some hacker could figure out how to write viruses to people’s brains? It’s actually a little scary.”

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