Mind Flexing-Game

[Joseph E. Smith]

Are we, at long last, exploring our brain's potential through 'thought-powered' games?

http://www.mindflexgames.com

[Nanohedron]

Now that's interesting!

[dwest]

Always get flat lines on my EEG so I reckon it won't work for me.

[emmline]

We'll see. If it works for real, and is any fun, we're bound to see variations springing forth on the market.

[mutepointe]

Someone buy one of these and tell us what you really think of this. My wife is curious but not $80 curious. For that much, she'd like the game to bring the potato chips to her.

[Innocent Bystander]

Wasn't there a craze in the eighties for finding your own alpha-rhythms with a home EEG?

When I was a guinea-pig in Edinburgh University's Psychology Department, they showed me a phenomenon where subjects are observably more fidgety when someone is physically watching them through one of those window-mirrors. They're also observed by a camera, which doesn't have the same effect.
So far, it's unexplained, as far as I know. My idea is it's caused by the eyes operating like a "black body" (technical term in physics) sending a very fine beam of heat.

Harness THAT, game dudes!

[avanutria]

Interesting. I think it works by blood pressure readings.

I note there is a dial on the front of the unit that people are turning in the demo - that'll move the fan around the ring. The headset is supposed to use brainwaves to determine how hard you're concentrating, and it makes contact with you at your temples and earlobes. The higher your concentration, the higher the fan blows.

Maybe a medical-type person can give a better answer, but I suspect that what the headset is measuring at temple and earlobe is related to blood pressure, or possibly pulse rate. When you're concentrating and exerting yourself you are probably also straining physically a bit, and raising your blood pressure. (certainly the people on the video were straining somewhat). When you stop concentrating, your blood pressure will go back down, and so will the ball.

I think it certainly works, but maybe not for the reason they suggest.

[avanutria]

Wasn't there a craze in the eighties for finding your own alpha-rhythms with a home EEG?

When I was a guinea-pig in Edinburgh University's Psychology Department, they showed me a phenomenon where subjects are observably more fidgety when someone is physically watching them through one of those window-mirrors. They're also observed by a camera, which doesn't have the same effect.
So far, it's unexplained, as far as I know. My idea is it's caused by the eyes operating like a "black body" (technical term in physics) sending a very fine beam of heat.

Harness THAT, game dudes!

IB, were they tested in the following conditions too?

Subjects were told they were being observed through the window, but they weren't really.
Subjects were not being told they were being observed, but they were.

[Innocent Bystander]

Wasn't there a craze in the eighties for finding your own alpha-rhythms with a home EEG?

When I was a guinea-pig in Edinburgh University's Psychology Department, they showed me a phenomenon where subjects are observably more fidgety when someone is physically watching them through one of those window-mirrors. They're also observed by a camera, which doesn't have the same effect.
So far, it's unexplained, as far as I know. My idea is it's caused by the eyes operating like a "black body" (technical term in physics) sending a very fine beam of heat.

Harness THAT, game dudes!

IB, were they tested in the following conditions too?

Subjects were told they were being observed through the window, but they weren't really.
Subjects were not being told they were being observed, but they were.

Oh yes. It's a proper psychology department, with a good reputation. They understand methodology. I asked the same question. And watched it in action.

[fearfaoin]

I once bought a game from Wild Divine.
http://www.wilddivine.com/
It came with a USB finger sensors, which worked
using the changes in the skin's electrical resistance
and probably had some kind of heartbeat detection.
It was interesting for a little while (you could make
a pinwheel onscreen turn by blowing), but the
gameplay got really boring. They were focusing too
much on trying to teach you biofeedback techniques
and on being New Age. I think if someone can tighten
the controls up, they might be able to get some
interesting games out that don't rely on the novelty.

[avanutria]

Oh yes. It's a proper psychology department, with a good reputation. They understand methodology. I asked the same question. And watched it in action.

Didn't mean to suggest they weren't. Sounds like a fascinating paper, would love to read it if you ever come across it again.

[Pammy]

When I was a guinea-pig in Edinburgh University's Psychology Department,

mmm that explains a lot

[Innocent Bystander]

Have you worked out the reason for the nightmares and the blinding headache yet?

[Pammy]

What me??????

[Daniel_Bingamon]

It's probably skin galvanic response, like those little lie detector kits they used to sell at radio shack. If you concentrate, the resistance goes down which increases fan speed and makes the ball go up - a very simple electronic circuit can do that.

On the little Radio Shack lie detector kits, you could turn on the tone and calm down and walk barefoot through the grass and tone would go down to just a few clicks. If you strain, the frequency goes up.