Mindflex is a toy by Mattel by which, according to its description, the operator uses their brain waves to steer a ball through an obstacle course. Brain waves are registered by the enclosed EEG headset, which allows the user to control an air stream by concentrating, thus lifting or lowering a foam ball that is trapped in the airflow due to the Coandă effect.[1] The game was released in the fall of 2009,[2] and uses the same microchip as the MindSet from NeuroSky and homebuilt EEG machines.[3]
Controversy
Despite the science behind the technology developed by Mattel, outside scientists have questioned whether the toy actually measures brain waves or just randomly moves the ball, exploiting the well-known illusion of control.[4][5] However, despite the John-Dylan Haynes experiments, supporters of the game stand behind the research that went into the development of Mindflex, and believe that the headset does indeed read EEGs.[3]
See also
- Consumer brain–computer interfaces
- Brain-Computer Interface
External links
- http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20151026-a-teens-mind-controlled-arm-could-make-prosthetics-cheaper
References
- MindFlex Games^
- Scott Stein. Moving objects with Mattel's brainwave-reading Mindflex CNET News, June 26, 2009^
- Eric Mika. How to Hack Toy EEGs Frontier Nerds Blog, April 7, 2010^