EEG Game Controller

Initially treated by NASA as a mere spin-off of their pilot monitoring technology, this method has been tested in recent years for a variety of purposes. One approach was to reduce the use of Ritalin by kids diagnosed with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), but now it found its way into the games sector as a brainwave interface controller. That basically means that players will be able to control in-game actions with their thoughts alone.
I first came in contact with this technology at Synworld in Vienna in 1999, but at that time, it was far from advanced in terms of actually controlling actions in a virtual environment. But it was nevertheless impressive to see what a mere readout of brain activity could trigger on different computers. To my knowledge, the application towards treating ADD began around 2002 and seems to have reached its commercial implementation as well. It is exciting however to see that the interface is not only getting more comfortable to wear but also cheaper. It will be interesting to see how this technology will be picked up by gamers and media artists alike.