Students Develop 'Mind-Control' Interface to Play Video Games Without a Controller 12 August 2008 (PhysOrg.com) -- Drexel University students have taken game controller innovation beyond motion control with a “hands-off” approach and developed an interface that allows players to execute actions using only their mind. The device looks like a headband and is equipped with sensors that measure brain activity. By shining near-infrared light into the skull and measuring the intensity of light reflected back, oxygen levels corresponding to brain activity can be recorded. The device, originally developed by Drexel’s biomedical engineers to monitor the brain of patients under anesthesia, serves as a controller for the Drexel-developed video game Lazybrains. Lazybrains features Morby, a couch potato transported to a dangerous fantasy world as punishment for not exercising his brain. Morby must use his mental power to navigate through obstacles to find his way back home. Players still use a keyboard to make Morby run and jump, however special actions such as lifting a manhole cover require players to put the controller down and use their brain. When the game senses that enough mental power has been exerted, the manhole cover is lifted and the player can proceed. “The most immediate application for brain- machine interfaces is in medicine. Games like Lazybrains can help kids with ADHD learn how to concentrate in a friendly and fun environment. And as the underlying neurotechnology behind Drexel’s Lazybrains matures, they may become as easy to use as a Wii Controller,” said Dr. Frank Lee, professor in the Computer Science Department and co-director of Drexel's RePlay Lab on Computer Gaming. Their implication to game innovation is certainly wide open.” The innovative video game interfaces are the result of the Drexel Research on Play or “RePlay” Lab, a collaborative effort between the University’s Computer Science department in the College of Engineering and the Digital Media program in the Westphal College of Media Arts & Design. RePlay exposes students to game development through research projects and proof-of-concept demonstrations, letting students not just learn it, but live it. Other innovations developed in the RePlay lab include a touch-screen monitor that can distinguish between multiple fingers and multiple hands. Planet Diggums is a simple game that showcases the system. One or more players can move, squish and sling their Diggum across the screen. The concept is being developed for classroom applications that will be seen in Philadelphia schools within a year. Drexel has also developed Inversion, a system that brings realism to games by giving players an RTS- type view of real people quipped with GPS-enabled cell phones. The technology is being developed for emergency personnel and first responders, but it could become an exercise game. Provided by Drexel University 1 / 2

Students Develop 'Mind-Control' Interface to Play … · Students Develop 'Mind-Control' Interface to Play Video Games Without a Controller 12 August 2008 (PhysOrg.com) -- Drexel

Download PDF Report

Upload
phamanh
View
213
Download
0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Students Develop 'Mind-Control' Interface to Play … · Students Develop 'Mind-Control' Interface to Play Video Games Without a Controller 12 August 2008 (PhysOrg.com) -- Drexel

Students Develop 'Mind-Control' Interface toPlay Video Games Without a Controller12 August 2008

(PhysOrg.com) -- Drexel University students havetaken game controller innovation beyond motioncontrol with a “hands-off” approach and developedan interface that allows players to execute actionsusing only their mind.

The device looks like a headband and is equippedwith sensors that measure brain activity. By shiningnear-infrared light into the skull and measuring theintensity of light reflected back, oxygen levelscorresponding to brain activity can be recorded.The device, originally developed by Drexel’sbiomedical engineers to monitor the brain ofpatients under anesthesia, serves as a controllerfor the Drexel-developed video game Lazybrains.

Lazybrains features Morby, a couch potatotransported to a dangerous fantasy world aspunishment for not exercising his brain. Morbymust use his mental power to navigate throughobstacles to find his way back home. Players stilluse a keyboard to make Morby run and jump,however special actions such as lifting a manholecover require players to put the controller downand use their brain. When the game senses thatenough mental power has been exerted, themanhole cover is lifted and the player canproceed.

“The most immediate application for brain-

machine interfaces is in medicine. Games likeLazybrains can help kids with ADHD learn how toconcentrate in a friendly and fun environment. Andas the underlying neurotechnology behind Drexel’sLazybrains matures, they may become as easy touse as a Wii Controller,” said Dr. Frank Lee,professor in the Computer Science Department andco-director of Drexel's RePlay Lab on ComputerGaming. Their implication to game innovation iscertainly wide open.”

The innovative video game interfaces are the resultof the Drexel Research on Play or “RePlay” Lab, acollaborative effort between the University’sComputer Science department in the College ofEngineering and the Digital Media program in theWestphal College of Media Arts & Design. RePlayexposes students to game development throughresearch projects and proof-of-conceptdemonstrations, letting students not just learn it, butlive it.

Other innovations developed in the RePlay labinclude a touch-screen monitor that can distinguishbetween multiple fingers and multiple hands. PlanetDiggums is a simple game that showcases thesystem. One or more players can move, squish andsling their Diggum across the screen. The conceptis being developed for classroom applications thatwill be seen in Philadelphia schools within a year.

Drexel has also developed Inversion, a system thatbrings realism to games by giving players an RTS-type view of real people quipped with GPS-enabledcell phones. The technology is being developed foremergency personnel and first responders, but itcould become an exercise game.

Provided by Drexel University

1 / 2

Page 2: Students Develop 'Mind-Control' Interface to Play … · Students Develop 'Mind-Control' Interface to Play Video Games Without a Controller 12 August 2008 (PhysOrg.com) -- Drexel

APA citation: Students Develop 'Mind-Control' Interface to Play Video Games Without a Controller (2008,August 12) retrieved 8 August 2018 from https://phys.org/news/2008-08-students-mind-control-interface-video-games.html

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, nopart may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

2 / 2

https://phys.org/news/2008-08-students-mind-control-interface-video-games.html

http://www.tcpdf.org