Slot car racing is the ultimate way to determine superiority between friends. And now this mind-controlled version ups the ante, since it means the winner also possesses superior mental capabilities.
Using an off the shelf Scalextric slot car set, a Neurosky MindWave EEG headset, an Arduino, some in-between circuitry and a few custom scripts running on a MacBook, B-Reel’s UK office created the ultimate race for cerebral types. In lieu of holding the familiar pistol grip controller, opponents need only wear a stylish headset that’s able to measure the level of electrical activity in their brains. So when they really start to use their noggins, by concentrating or simply reading as demonstrated in the video, their cars will tear off down the track. And when they find themselves losing concentration, they’ll come to a dead stop.
I think the whole concept should be scaled up and applied to real cars as well. So as long as you’re paying attention to the road, your car will be in motion. But once you start to drift off to sleep, your vehicle will come to a stop. It’s the perfect system, as long as an unplanned nightmare doesn’t then send you accelerating back into traffic. [B-Reel via Medgadget]