Play Second Life with YOUR BRAIN

Jack into the matrix! Professor Junichi Ushiba of the Keio University Biomedical Engineering Laboratory has created a brain-computer interface (BCI) for Second Life that lets players stroll their avatars through the SL world just by thinking about walking. How does it work? Users are strapped with an electrode headpiece that monitors brain activity in region responsible for controlling arm and leg movement. Data is graphed and sent to the BCI. A brain wave analysis algorithm deciphers the player’s imagined movements, which are then converted into a signal through a keyboard emulator. This is then transfered to Second Life in real time. There are plans to increase the types of gestures — like dry humping, we hope! Sounds like a great deal of work for just some simple keyboard mashing. Though, we imagine more realistic applications will be for disabled gamers unable to mash keyboards.

Computer Interface [Pink Tentacle]