Emotive Systems, the pioneer in brain computer interface technology, has revealed the Emotiv EPOC, a neuroheadet that allows players to control gameplay with their thoughts, expressions and emotions. The device was unveiled during a live interactive demonstration at GDC.

The EPOC is the first high-fidelity brain computer interface (BCI) device for the video game market. It is a lightweight, sleek and easy-to-use wireless device, featuring sensors that detect conscious thoughts, expressions and non-conscious emotions based on electrical signals around the brain. The device processes these signals and enables players to control their in-game characters expressions or actions and influence gameplay using their thoughts, expressions and emotions.

“Being able to control a computer with your mind is the ultimate quest of human-machine interaction,” said Nam Do, CEO of Emotiv Systems. “When integrated into games, virtual worlds and other simulated environments, this technology will have a profound impact on the user’s experience. Since announcing our prototype last year, we’ve made dramatic technological breakthroughs in order to create the first wearable, affordable brain-controlled gaming headset. We’re excited to see our vision realized this year and look forward to enabling gamers out there to experience brain-controlled gaming for themselves.”

How It Works:

EPOC detects over 30 different expressions, emotions and actions. Some of these include: emotional detections such as immersion, excitement, meditation, tension and frustration; facial expressions such as smile, laugh, wink, crossed eyes, shock (eyebrows raised), anger (eyebrows furrowed), horizontal eye movement, smirk and grimace (clenched teeth); and cognitive actions such as push, pull, lift, drop and rotate (on six different axis) as well as a completely new category of action based on visualization, the first of which is the ability to make objects disappear. As a result of these detections, players will enjoy a more immersive, lifelike experience. Games will be able to respond dynamically to player emotions, enabling, for example, more sophisticated dynamic difficulty adjustment. Players can more easily simulate the magical or fantastical aspects of gaming by controlling certain actions and expressions and manipulating objects in the game using their brains instead of a keyboard or controller.

In addition to these detections, the Emotiv EPOC incorporates a gyroscope, which enables the camera or cursor to be controlled by head motions.

Content:

The Emotiv EPOC will ship with game content developed specifically by Emotiv to enable players to explore all the possibilities of brain-controlled gaming. In addition, users will have access to the Emortal, a next generation online portal that allows users to access and experience content through the neuroheadset. Designed as a spatial representation of a cityscape, users access the Emortal through a browser. They can walk though the cityscape and discover games and other applications that integrate with the Emotiv EPOC and download them. They can also upload their own content, such as music or photos, and experience them through the headset. Additionally, the portal provides an opportunity for social interaction with other Emotiv EPOC users through chat or community areas. The portal will be launched later this year in conjunction with general availability of the neuroheadset.

Consumers can also experience any of their favorite PC games through the neuroheadset, by using the Emotiv EmoKey, which allows the user to link any detection to any action in the game.

EPOC and IBM

Today, Emotiv and IBM announced that they intend to explore the potential of Emotiv’s BCI technology beyond the gaming market, into more strategic enterprise business markets and virtual worlds. IBM and Emotiv plan to explore how to make these environments more personal, intuitive, immersive and ultimately more lifelike. IBM also intends to explore how the Emotiv headset may be used for researching other possible applications of Emotiv’s BCI technology, including virtual training and learning, collaboration, development, design and sophisticated simulation platforms for industries such as enterprise and government.

“The use of BCI technology represents a potential breakthrough in human-machine interfaces, changing the realm of possibilities not only for games, but in the way that humans and computers interact,” said Paul Ledak, vice president, IBM Digital Convergence. “As interactions in virtual environments become more complex, mice and keyboards alone may soon be inadequate. BCI is an important component of the 3D Internet and the future of virtual communication.”

EPOC will be available to consumers via Emotiv's Web site and through selected retailers in late 2008 for a recommended retail price of $299. Consumers can sign up to purchase one of the first headsets at www.emotiv.com