Its gonna be in the shops this Christmas apparently. Head gear that reads your mind, or at least your brain activity, and makes a corresponding command in the game you are playing. You can communicate your emotions like ‘anger’ or ‘calm’ - and you can move objects around Luke Skywalker stylee with just your mind. Interested?

Two firms have been PR’ing their wares for a little while now. One is called NeuroSky - who are going to team up with Sega to make nuero-toys. The other is called Emotiv (www.emotiv.com) and they are going it alone with their own bespoke mmorpg. And they are now recruiting beta testers. The question is - would you beta test a piece of kit like this?

The invitation to be at “the bleeding edge of technology” makes me think I might become a high profile medical disaster news story. If the jury is still out on the merits of EMF from mobiles … what will the WHO make of this technology?

My hypochondria aside … this is massively exciting and it does feel like we are on some sort of precipice. I reckon the first time we use this kit we’ll be rendered speechless. Eisley recently posted about those moments when you are moved by technology and this will be well up there - probably akin to hearing a wireless transmission in 1900.

But the crazy stuff will happen when the technology gets more advanced. Imagine fifty years from now (if this particular innovation curve continues at pace) what these devices will be able to read from our brain activity. Say you are playing a computer game, and the headset detects you are thinking about food … so a Dominos pizza ad could pop up in game and invite you to order an Americana! We could live with that I guess - but there will be a superfine line between useful applications and dark, sinister intrusions. Imagine inadvertently sharing how you are feeling about your relationship with your games console (!) - and being served up comms from either a high street jeweller (…if its all good) or a back street massage parlour (…if its all going wrong). Mad marketing opportunities ahead.

Tags: control, mmorpg, sega