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Brain-Computer Interface Ready for Retail

- By - Source : Tom's Guide US

Send messages to friends simply by using your brain.

Singularity Hub has a very lengthy article about the Intendix from Guger Technologies (g.tec), a system that allows the end user to type messages my mere thought. The system makes it possible by using an EEG cap that measures the user's brain activity. Supposedly the Intendix is rather simple to use after ten minutes of training.

The process works by first focusing on a grid of letters. When the user finds the desired letter, brain activity spikes and the system types the letter into the message. As users get accustomed to the method, typing will get easier, taking almost an entire second to mentally type an letter.

Intendix said that the device is capable of doing additional tasks outside messaging including converting text to speech, printing, copying, emailing, and triggering an alarm. The system has already entered its marketing phase, and is expected to retail for over $12,000 when it hits the market.

Check out the video below where the device was used to control a Second Life avatar.

Intendix

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wifiwolf 03/11/2010 3:25 AM
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-10+

Caution: Don't use it while your girlfriend is near you.
sexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsexsex

cheepstuff 03/11/2010 3:35 AM
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pythy 03/11/2010 3:46 AM
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Quote :...allows the end user to type messages my mere thought

Obviously still a few bugs in the system hehe

husker 03/11/2010 4:16 AM
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-18+

I'b ben uisng it fur a whlie now and et wroks geart!

Anonymous 03/11/2010 4:45 AM
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If you read the history of speech recognition interfaces you will see that it started out almost exactly the same way as this brain wave stuff. Speech recog. started out slow and difficult to use, requiring you to only say one letter or maybe one word at a time. The software was extremely expensive and required extensive calibration to work correctly but everyone said that it would dramatically improve with time and that it would be the interface that everyone will use in the future. Now, decades later, the software has gotten better but it is still pretty expensive, it still requires decently powerful hardware and in my experience it is still buggy and inaccurate. Here's to hoping that brain interfaces fair better.

jomofro39 03/11/2010 6:30 AM
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if what you were typing was a lie? Would it come out as such?

dco 03/11/2010 7:35 AM
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Seems a bit impractical but cool none the less

anamaniac 03/11/2010 7:54 AM
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the_silver_tape :
If you read the history of speech recognition interfaces you will see that it started out almost exactly the same way as this brain wave stuff. Speech recog. started out slow and difficult to use, requiring you to only say one letter or maybe one word at a time. The software was extremely expensive and required extensive calibration to work correctly but everyone said that it would dramatically improve with time and that it would be the interface that everyone will use in the future. Now, decades later, the software has gotten better but it is still pretty expensive, it still requires decently powerful hardware and in my experience it is still buggy and inaccurate. Here's to hoping that brain interfaces fair better.


Me too!
I talk funky I guess (I used to have a nasty lisp, but now people just think I'm from a couple thousand kilometres away), and I can't use speech recognition at all. It sucks. =(

Anonymous 03/11/2010 8:06 AM
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eventually it will play crysis!

JOSHSKORN 03/11/2010 8:17 AM
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Pretty soon, every wife will own one of these for their husbands as a home polygraph test.
Her: "Where were you, sweetie?"
Him: "Working overtime" ( ::LIE DETECTED:: Real answer: "Strip Club" ...BUSTED../result)

Gin Fushicho 03/11/2010 9:05 AM
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It looks kinda... slow.

twisted politiks 03/11/2010 9:32 AM
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why isnt it QWERTY?

dtq 03/11/2010 10:39 AM
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I could see these being of huge use to disabled people, or people with "locked in syndrome".

envolva 03/11/2010 4:25 PM
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dtq :
I could see these being of huge use to disabled people, or people with "locked in syndrome".


Exactly. It's already useful for that alone.

surelock 03/11/2010 6:39 PM
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At dco:

bogcotton 03/11/2010 7:28 PM
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twisted politiks :
why isnt it QWERTY?



It doesn't make a difference what arrangement it uses, due to how the system functions.

dreamphantom_1977 03/11/2010 7:40 PM
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Or, you could get this one that has been out for a couple of years now for $110.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] -_-Product

twisted politiks 03/11/2010 8:10 PM
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bogcotton :
It doesn't make a difference what arrangement it uses, due to how the system functions.




oh i beg to differ. using a standard keyboard will be exactly the same to the brain as using one of these. aftger all, your brain has to send a signal to your finger as to where the key would be. a good example is when i try to type things out on my GPS, when im looking at the keys, which are in ABCD format, i couldnt zero in on where each character is with my eyes nearly as quick as i could with my QWERTY keyboard.

Anonymous 03/19/2010 4:44 PM
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The severely disabled population would see the most benefits from this type of communication system, and it's possible that users' conditions would prevent them from learning how to type on a QWERTY style keyboard in the first place. It makes sense to present the letters in alphabetical order for this population.

Anyone who is familiar with, and able to type on a QWERTY keyboard would be better off using a real keyboard.