Thursday, December 13, 2007

The Neurosky is falling!


Into fun-filled children's toys, that is! Everyone's favorite EMG, I mean no, wait TOTALLY EEG from one dry electrode because they have either signed a pact with Satan or they aren't using brain signals, has been in talks to integrate Neurosky into several toys designed by Sega Toys.

Now, I love me some BCI in the consumer marketplace, but this is starting to get a little out of hand. It was funny when Emotiv showed off the Cap of Infinite Dorkiness(tm), but Neurosky better post some concurrent EMG recordings that show they are actually using EEG before I believe it (I'm talking wet electrode, established 'real' techniques). Until then, I'll say it again, you are only getting covert muscle movements, not EEG. There's a reason EEG studies use 128 electrodes with skin abrasion and conductive gel. Oh wait, no, it is kinda fun to torture the volunteering undergrads, but no, no, it does have a real purpose.

Bah! Anyways, here's the media blitz. Here here here.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sure, they're probably using muscle activity, but who cares?

As long as the gamers enjoy using it...

Brandon King said...

I know, I know, but Neurosky's miraculous single electrode design is so obviously not neural activity that it boarders on fraud. What happens down the road when an ill informed NIH panel member denies funding because the Winky-Dinky Brain Machine for Kids(TM) can "do" what is proposed"? It also is bad for general perception of the field because it leaves even MORE ill informed and some semi-okay informed people thinking nothing new is happening in BCI.

Anonymous said...

This is crap.

Saying the equipment is based on neural activity is like saying I breed unicorns in my backyard.

Why not tell the truth and be proud?

"We made a device that uses muscle activity and it WORKS WELL!!"

Sh!t, I'd buy it. When did everyone start borrowing tactics from the Bush administration?

Anonymous said...

In case you missed the USC report:
BCI: Computer Brain Interface

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