Last December I finally received my long awaited Emotiv EPOC EEG headset. However, after trying it on initially and quickly trying the demo content that I downloaded off their website I have had no significant timeframe to test out the device. <FAIL>
I’ve heard good things about it’s capabilities from a fellow researcher who has one and has spent a significant amount of time looking at EEG and other measurements for evaluating user engagement. My own goal is to use the device in order measure a users excitement and/or frustration levels as they interact with (theoretically) any interface. For the freelance work I do, this will let me add a quantitative and scientifically founded argument to design recommendations that would be qualitatively based using more traditional HF methodologies.
My goal is to spend a week over the summer ramping up on the device, getting a baseline for myself (testing it with video games), and then run a pilot study with 2-3 people to see how hard the process would be to incorporate in a traditional usability test.
A friend of mine directed me to this site as we were talking about research topics in HF/Gaming that will be big in the future. Emotiv (Sydney, AU) is the first company to produce a commercially available, mainstream consumer targeted EEG/EKG monitoring headset ($299, not available quite yet). The purpose? Play video games with your mind…
That’s right, the Emotiv headset is designed for playing video games with one’s thoughts and facial movements. Of course the humanitarian would apply said technology to assist the disabled (they do have a demo where it controls a wheelchair and car), but the Emotiv monitor was developed for games and what they’ve shown so far looks promising so check it out.
Really the applications are endless, and of course other research on EEG based interfaces exist, but the fact that in a few months i’ll be essentially in charge of the virtual world “force” has got me giddy with anticipation…. so many future articles/reviews to come… until then check out these:
CNN – The Future of Gaming
USA Today – Let Video Games read your mind
Business Week – New Mind-Control Headset
(on a side note, i know i’ve been away for a while, but with a nice break coming up i’ll be trying to catch up on all the great things i’ve wanted to share with the world….)