Tech & Biz

Using Brainwaves To Chat And Stroll Through Second Life

by Rob Walker | June 16, 2008 at 11:45 am

311 views | 25 Recommendations | 3 comments

The line between science fiction and reality is definitely blurring. Scientists at the University of Keio have developed a device that will allow quadrepalegics to move characters in Second Life.

The system uses tiny electrodes that attach to the scalp, which allow the user to move a character in any direction, as well as 'will' the avatar forward. It detects minute movements in the nerves in the hands to detect which direction they want to move.

The research group led by Assistant Prof. Junichi Ushiba of the Faculty of Science and Technology of Keio University applied the technology “to operate the computer using brain images released last year and succeeds in enabling a disabled person suffering muscle disorder (41 year old male) to stroll through “Second Life®*”, a three-dimentional virtual world on the Internet, to walk towards the avatar of a student logged in at Keio University located 16km from the subject’s home, and to have a conversation with the student using the “voice chat” function.
This demonstration experiment opens a new possibility for motion-impaired people in serious conditions to communicate with others and to engage in business. This experiment is a marriage of leading-edge technologies in brain science and the Internet, and is the world’s first successful example to meet with people and have conversation in the virtual world.

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rpshen

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 11:47 on June 16th, 2008

Rob Walker, I like this story. It's good stuff. Wow! Still not sure whether or not AI's a good thing though.

JeffHuang

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 13:56 on June 16th, 2008

Rob Walker, I like this story. It's good stuff. Pretty amazing. It is incredible what they have done with Second Life and how people can purchase lands and items with real currency.

Barry Artiste

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 18:45 on June 16th, 2008

Rob Walker, I like this story. It's good stuff. Friggin awesome,

Wasn't there a software program that allowed Reality neighbourhoods that quads used to interact, in that they would walk in the program , jump, dance and give them a semblance of normalcy they could not have otherwise as shutins?