• Brain-computer interfaces make the Kinect look like Atari

Brain-computer interfaces make the Kinect look like Atari

While some neuroscience news requires a little imagination to get excited about, this tidbit about a device that allowed a paralyzed person to control a figure onscreen and exert control over a physical robot arm is immediately awesome. Really, a more in-depth explanation of the tech behind the world’s most exciting high-five, the process behind the research is utterly fascinating.

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And here’s the juicy part about how it actually works:



This is literal brain hacking, and it’s possible with current tech. Deus Ex, eat your heart out!

While there are, you know, medical implications - and those are probably a bit more important (allowing paralyzed people to move and interact with the physical world chief among them), there are also incredible implications for the future of gaming.

Imagine multiplayer matches that rely entirely upon opponent’s speed of thought (no need for pesky motor neurons and muscle reflexes getting in the way), or games that can read a player’s emotional state, altering gameplay parameters on the fly (Incredible Hulk style). Game designers have been “hacking” players’ brains all along (operant conditioning, anyone?) – but these tools could offer new meaning to the phrase.