Goodbye, Joystick—Hello, Joy…Head
February 20th, 2008
Well, the good ol’ Singularity is creepin’ closer with every day. Today, Direct Neural Interfacing–the Holy Grail of every cyberpunk geek since the day Gibson’s Neuromancer hit the world like a Terminator sent back in time by SKY_NET to ensure it’s creation–drew another step closer with Emotiv Systems Inc.’s announcement that later this year their EPOC neuroheadset (seen at left) will be available for $299.
Now, don’t get too excited yet. But definitely get excited because this a major step toward direct brain/computer interfacing. According to the company, “the headset can detect emotions such as anger, excitement and tension, as well as facial expressions and cognitive actions like pushing and pulling objects.”
It’s purpose? No, not porn. Video games.
The EPOC, you see, is being touted as the next-generation game controller. The EPOC
will be sold with a game developed by Emotiv, but it can also be made to work with existing PC games, the company said. Users will also be able to access an online portal to play more games, chat or upload their own content such as music or photos.
That’s pretty fresh–but here’s where things really get neat:
Emotiv plans to work with IBM Corp. to explore applications beyond video gaming. The “brain computer interface” technology could transform not only gaming, but how humans and computers interact, said Paul Ledak, vice president of IBM’s Digital Convergence business. [Emphasis added.]
I’ve been a transhumanist since I first started reading science-fiction and began to ponder bioengineering and the destiny of the Human Species, and I’ve been Singularitarian ever since I read Ray Kurzweil’s The Age of Spiritual Machines back in 2000. However, I’m not one of those Singularitarians who believe that the Rapture of the Nerds is something implicit in the nature of technological evolution, anymore than I believe that Tipler’s/deChardin’s Omega Point Entity is implicit in physics. Technological evolution may be advancing exponentially toward a Singularity-like point in the near future (that is, anytime between 20 and 100 years from today), but something must be actively driving that evolution. Something must be inspiring people to dream the dreams and design the next-gen technologies that keep the Curve rising ever more sharply.
Of course, that “something” is a composite of a wide variety of societal factors–but the most important factor is, has been, and, I believe, always shall be economics. The Allmighty Dollar. Why design a more powerful computer every 12 to 18 months? Why, to beat your competitor and make a buck from a public whose appetite for technological gadgetry to make life easier or more fun grows every year? The obvious feedback loop that dynamic between manufacturers/inventors and the public keeps the Curve accelerating.
And what is one of the prime technological outlets for consumers? Video games.
The world of video games has already given us rudimentary AI, virtual worlds, and now Direct Neural Interface.
Rather sobering to think that, ultimately, Pac-Man may be someday recognized as the godfather of the Singularity, isn’t it?
Technorati Tags: epoc,neuroheadset,video games,gaming,technology,neurology,dni,direct neural interface,singularity
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