Futurists have long predicted that one day we'd be able to control objects with our thoughts, and apparently, that future is just about here. Toy makers are adapting biofeedback technology to make toys that are completely interactive, allowing users to control movements using just their thoughts. As exciting as this is, it's also a little creepy. Most distressing is the use of electrodes to create a connection with the brain. Is it me, or is this a little Frankensteinish?
The same technology can also be adapted to help people with anxiety disorders, and possibly also little-understood conditions like autism, ADD, and mood disorders. Can it help the morose mom, I wonder?
Back to the toys. Two companies, or perhaps more, are vying to break open the brain-wave market. Neurosky looks to roll out a simple toy later this year, and Emotiv plans a more elaborate system that can hook to your gaming console for a truly interactive game experience, which is an application that seems like a natural pairing (imagine what it would do with a Wii!).
What do you think? Flash in the pan or does this idea have staying power? Scary, or does this technology have promise?
[photo source: Emotiv.com]
