The Brain Game

Human brain
Originally uploaded to Flickr by Gaetan Lee.

Competition continues to be hot in the world of making playing games just that little bit lazier.

• Emotiv Systems has a prototype of a head-set based system with electrodes that attach to the skull. The setup detects electrical activity in the brain to detect player thoughts, feelings and expressions". Apparently it connects wirelessly to all game systems from consoles to PCs.
  
• NeuroSky has a technology that requires just a single small electrode (although all the press photos show that you still need to wear a headset - http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&gbv=2&q=neurosky+technology (Safe Search On). Neurosky currently has a demonstration of a small Darth Vader that can be controlled through its technology.
  
• Cyber Learning Technology LLC proudly trumpets its Smart Brain Game technology as "the ONLY Neurofeedback Technology developed, patented and tested at NASA". CyberLearning also want to draw a link between their products and research that helps sufferers of ADHD.
  

I choose to work under the assumption that if all this activity is going on in the game controller market, there has to be substantial research going on in universities and government institutions looking into brainwave telemetry for other purposes such as for disabled patients or remote and/or dangerous workplaces (underground mines, deep space etc). I sure hope so.

After reading up a little on what each of these technologies enables, I am left with just one question? Does anyone really want to be able to control a game with their mind alone? It seems to me that this could make a game fiendishly difficult, requiring great powers of concentration.

I don't know about anyone else but when I play games, I want to relax.