Understanding How the Emotiv EPOC Functions

Game developers are always seeking ways to enhance realism, from visuals to player interaction. Gamers want to do more within virtual worlds. In the past, this desire led to increasingly complex joysticks that seemed like they'd take forever to master. However, the gaming landscape is shifting. Developers are answering the call for a more intuitive interface, one that mirrors a lifelike alternate reality. The Nintendo Wii for example, shook up the gaming world with its minimalist joysticks that read movement. Now, the Emotiv EPOC is advancing this revolution further.

Unlike the bulky controllers of other systems, the Emotiv EPOC introduces a controller that you've known your entire life. No, it's not your classic Atari Pong paddles—it's your brain. The EPOC headset reads your brain waves and translates them into virtual reality commands. Imagine thinking "lift," and watching a virtual rock rise on your screen.

For Star Wars enthusiasts who've always dreamed of wielding Jedi-like powers, this is a near-miraculous experience. Now, your thoughts can translate into actions (though they remain virtual). While this may sound futuristic, the technology powering the Emotiv EPOC has been around for decades.

Before we dive into the workings of the EPOC, let's first explore your brain. We'll begin by understanding what brain waves are and how machines can accurately read and interpret them. Then, we'll examine how Emotiv has adapted this technology for the world of gaming. Finally, we'll discuss the implications and future uses of thought-controlled technology.

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EEG Technology and EPOC

If you've ever read How Your Brain Works or taken a psychology class, you're likely familiar with the billions of neurons that reside in your brain. These nerve cells transmit electrical impulses, sending messages across the brain. Whenever your brain is active (and it is always active, even while you sleep), these electrical signals constantly travel from one neuron to the next, creating a flow of electricity.

While the brain remains a mysterious subject of research, scientists have been aware of brain waves—representing the electrical current that flows between neurons—for quite some time. In 1875, British physician Richard Caton made the first observation of the brain's electrical activity. By 1924, German neurologist Hans Berger developed the electroencephalograph, a device that could read this current, producing a visual graph of brain waves known as the electroencephalogram (EEG).

The EEG system involves attaching several pairs of electrodes to a patient's head. These electrodes, which are small disks that conduct electrical activity, capture signals from the brain and transmit them through wires to a machine that amplifies the signal. Electrodes are placed in pairs because they measure the voltage difference between them. Soon after beginning his research, Berger discovered that the brain's electrical activity correlates with a person's mental state.

As previously mentioned, your brain continues to emit electrical activity even while you're asleep. Brain waves are typically slowest during sleep, though 'slow' is relative. During deep sleep, the brain generates delta waves, which pulse one to four times per second. In lighter sleep, theta waves pulse four to seven times per second. When you're relaxed and conscious, alpha waves are produced at about seven to 13 pulses per second. Finally, when the mind is highly excited or stressed, beta waves fire most rapidly, at 13 to 40 pulses per second. Your brain doesn't produce just one type of wave at any given moment; it generates multiple wave types simultaneously, though one may dominate at a particular time.

Today, EEG tests are used by doctors for various medical purposes, such as diagnosing epilepsy and other seizure disorders. These tests are particularly useful in diagnosing epilepsy, as patients with the condition often exhibit abnormal brain wave patterns. EEGs can also help detect sleep disorders, tumors, the impact of head injuries, and can determine if a patient in a coma has become brain dead.

The medical applications of EEG are fascinating, but what does this have to do with video games and the Emotiv EPOC? Keep reading to find out.

EEG Gaming

As EEG technology advances and our comprehension of the brain deepens, researchers can explore the significance behind the jagged graphs. If EEG readings can do more than just identify medical irregularities—if they can interpret a person's thoughts—they hold the potential for profound applications. For example, beta waves indicate heightened excitement or stress, and it turns out people generate specific brain wave patterns tied to particular emotions or thoughts.

Scientists are working on developing EEG technology to assist individuals with loss of muscle control. The goal is for patients with paralysis to control devices through thought alone, allowing them to send e-mails or adjust their thermostat simply by concentrating [source: Singer]. Additionally, this technology could offer individuals with paralysis a virtual reality experience, allowing them to control an avatar and move virtually.

Emotiv Systems, the creators of the groundbreaking EPOC, have brought this technology into the gaming world for everyone to experience. The company claims to have developed the first high-fidelity brain computer interface (BCI), capable of interpreting both conscious and unconscious thoughts as well as emotions [source: Emotiv]. The headset also captures facial expressions, with the system reportedly detecting up to 30 different expressions, emotions, and actions. Examples include recognizing boredom, a smile, or the thought of pulling, and translating these into your avatar’s actions on screen.

The EPOC headset features 14 extensions of electrodes (seven pairs), primarily positioned around the front of the scalp. Unlike traditional EEG systems that use wires, the EPOC is completely wireless, allowing players to move freely and naturally. It also comes with a gyroscope, enabling head movements to control the camera or cursor. While EEG tests typically require sticky gels to keep electrodes in place, the EPOC headset fits snugly on your head like a pair of headphones. Additionally, the EPOC is significantly more affordable, costing only a few hundred dollars compared to the tens or hundreds of thousands for traditional EEG machines [source: della Cava].

But since each person has unique brain wave patterns, how does the Emotiv EPOC read yours? Let’s find out next.

Playing the Emotiv EPOC

Whenever frustration sets in, your brain releases a distinct pattern of brain waves. While this pattern might be somewhat consistent for you, it’s likely to differ from the pattern someone else experiences when they’re frustrated. Since every brain is unique, the Emotiv EPOC needs to learn your specific brainwaves before you can begin to harness your inner Jedi.

To begin, as you don the headset, you’ll need to adjust the electrodes to ensure they make proper contact with your scalp. Unlike medical EEG machines that rely on adhesive materials, this headset is designed to fit all head sizes, meaning you'll have to manually position the electrodes. Take care not to make any sudden movements to prevent accidentally dislodging an electrode. The Emotiv EPOC comes bundled with a game that challenges you to complete tasks for a sensei. In the game, you'll focus on tasks like lifting, and the electrodes will record your brainwaves as you concentrate. The system will then recognize that brainwave pattern as corresponding to the lifting action. It's essential to stay focused, which can be tough. To help with this, the creators suggest physically miming the motions to keep your concentration sharp and make it easier to replicate during future tasks in the game [source: Edwards].

Some of the actions the game prompts you to practice and perform include:

Other elements of EEG readings don’t have to be completely personal for the system to function. For example, it can detect general boredom even without previously training the player to focus on that emotion. If the system detects a spike in your theta waves, it can tell you’re zoning out. In response, it can increase the intensity of the game to re-engage you [source: della Cava].

The system can detect various emotions, including:

In addition to actions and emotions, the headset can also track your facial expressions. Whether you're winking or frowning, the screen displays a cartoonish face that mirrors your expression. This feature can be integrated into the game. In some game demos, players use their facial expressions to scare away whimsical creatures.

Here are some of the actions that Emotiv claims the headset can interpret:

What does the future hold for this technology? While some view the EPOC as merely an amusing tool for games and Jedi mind tricks, others recognize its potential to create far-reaching impacts, both positive and negative.

Implications of Thought-Controlled Games

Emotiv envisions that the excitement surrounding its thought-controlled gaming technology will thrive indefinitely within the Emortal, an online hub for players. On this platform, users can stroll through a virtual city, find new apps and games, explore community areas, and engage in conversations with other players. They can also upload their personal music and photos to the Emortal.

If EEG gaming technology becomes widely adopted, it could change how we view video games, potentially in the same way the Nintendo Wii did, or even more dramatically. On one side, with its ability to interpret facial expressions, the Emotiv EPOC aims to reduce the divide between the real and virtual worlds, offering a more immersive experience like the Wii. On the other, the Emotiv EPOC seeks to bridge the gap between human thoughts and the external world, crafting an experience that’s less grounded in reality and more fantastical and dreamlike. The technology behind EPOC eliminates the need for physical movement entirely — a truly mind-blowing idea.

It makes perfect sense then, that Emotiv and IBM have joined forces to explore the potential of this technology beyond just gaming. One vision is that people could use the Emotiv technology for realistic virtual training. Time will reveal if the EPOC, or similar technologies, can extend beyond gaming or even make a significant impact within the gaming world itself.

Not everyone shares IBM's enthusiasm about diving into this type of technology. While many gamers eagerly anticipate the dawn of thought-controlled video games and interfaces, some find the very concept, and the experience of using it, "unnerving" [source: Reed]. There are concerns about the potential negative uses of this technology. Should researchers continue advancing EEG technology, we could eventually see computers capable of reading people's minds, giving those with access to such technology insight into others' private thoughts, feelings, and opinions. While this seems far off considering current technological and scientific knowledge of the human brain, we cannot entirely dismiss it. Perhaps the idea of Thought Police, as depicted in George Orwell's "1984," is not as extreme as it seems.

Regardless of these concerns, if you’re simply looking to channel your inner Yoda and start lifting objects with your mind, the Emotiv EPOC is set to launch in 2009, with a projected price tag of around $299.