Could the Epoc be dangerous?
by jj gamedesigner · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 08/09/2007 (7:58 am) · 6 replies
If you havent heard of it the Epoc is game that actaully taps into your mind and reads your movements and thoughts to play the game,in other words you put a helmet on and it turns you into a really big remote, but could this be hazrdous...
#2
08/09/2007 (8:18 am)
Make since although what has lead to think there could be hazards is the fact it is supose to tap into your mind as a control yet whether that could be true or not i cant say i know for sure. 
#3
It is a scanner, though, not a direct brain tap. It does not control, either. It simply responds.
08/09/2007 (10:01 am)
One of the problems is that it takes some time to train the helmet technology. It's been used for people with limited or no mobility for a while now (in terms of tech) and has also been featured on a number of "think technology" shows in recent years. One of the cool applications was letting people who have no mobility being able to use point-and-click technology by thinking about it. Very, very cool stuff.It is a scanner, though, not a direct brain tap. It does not control, either. It simply responds.
#4
As for neural interface ('Think Tech', I like that) tech in general, there *is* one fledgling DNI (Direct Neural Interface) in development... BrainGate
www.cyberkineticsinc.com/content/medicalproducts/braingate.jsp
Seems a man over in the UK, who I believe is directly involved in devlopment, has turned himself into a human lab rat and has a BrainGate chip already implanted in his head. He's teaching himself and the chip how to answer the phone, control the lights at his home, and slowly learning how to use the computer all through the chip in his head.
Now *this* tech is more likely to have unwanted side effects than the 'scanner' variety that Aaron and David mention above.
As for the scanner helmets. One approach I remember reading about is similar to portable MRI tech. Uses magnetic induction to 'map' the brain. It's still in infantcy, since they still have to figure out what all those squiggly lines actually mean, but once the technology matures it would work something like this:
You put the scanner helmet/crown/headband/etc on your head. The device then creates a very low power magnetic field around your head. It's purely passive, just enough energy to be able to read the neurons firing in your brain.
A translation software (this is the part that's still missing today) would read all those bio-electrical impulses running around in the brain, and translate that into though, action, or intent.
Now, each user would likely have to 'train' their set and themselves to produce the right kinds of impulses, but eventually it would be just thinking about doing what you want to on screen, and poof like magic, it moves!
Theoretically, it'd be possible to create a similar magnetic induction field to *create* artificial neural impulses, and make the information feed two-way between brain and device. If this approach ever surfaces in the real world, then we'd potentially have a non-invasive method for DNI. The risk would be making sure the magnetic fields don't accidentally fry your frontal lobe in the process, so make dammed sure you have a good surge protector before putting on your GameHelm.
Till next time!
08/09/2007 (10:53 am)
I couldn't find mention of Epoc on the web, could you perhaps toss us a link to check it out for ourselves?As for neural interface ('Think Tech', I like that) tech in general, there *is* one fledgling DNI (Direct Neural Interface) in development... BrainGate
www.cyberkineticsinc.com/content/medicalproducts/braingate.jsp
Seems a man over in the UK, who I believe is directly involved in devlopment, has turned himself into a human lab rat and has a BrainGate chip already implanted in his head. He's teaching himself and the chip how to answer the phone, control the lights at his home, and slowly learning how to use the computer all through the chip in his head.
Now *this* tech is more likely to have unwanted side effects than the 'scanner' variety that Aaron and David mention above.
As for the scanner helmets. One approach I remember reading about is similar to portable MRI tech. Uses magnetic induction to 'map' the brain. It's still in infantcy, since they still have to figure out what all those squiggly lines actually mean, but once the technology matures it would work something like this:
You put the scanner helmet/crown/headband/etc on your head. The device then creates a very low power magnetic field around your head. It's purely passive, just enough energy to be able to read the neurons firing in your brain.
A translation software (this is the part that's still missing today) would read all those bio-electrical impulses running around in the brain, and translate that into though, action, or intent.
Now, each user would likely have to 'train' their set and themselves to produce the right kinds of impulses, but eventually it would be just thinking about doing what you want to on screen, and poof like magic, it moves!
Theoretically, it'd be possible to create a similar magnetic induction field to *create* artificial neural impulses, and make the information feed two-way between brain and device. If this approach ever surfaces in the real world, then we'd potentially have a non-invasive method for DNI. The risk would be making sure the magnetic fields don't accidentally fry your frontal lobe in the process, so make dammed sure you have a good surge protector before putting on your GameHelm.
Till next time!
#5
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------trace ill see if i can find something on the epoc
08/09/2007 (1:12 pm)
Ok since it is a scanner it shouldnt tap into your brain and no mental harm can be done-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------trace ill see if i can find something on the epoc
#6
08/09/2007 (1:42 pm)
I wasnt able to find anything on the epoc, i even checked the website where the report came from
Aaron Weingartner
I was shown a recording of the helmet I'm talking about being used with a game at a virtual reality research and developer's conference a few months back, and the helmet is quite nifty. The problems that they ran into while at the conference was that the users couldn't do more than a couple complicated things at a time, which meant that they ended up separating movement and casting/fighting into two separate functions.
So I'm not sure how detailed or accurate they may be able to make a system using these kinda helmets just yet, but the chances of them impacting the user in a negative way is rather minimal...and of course if that happens...er...well, quality assurance must have taken the day off.