Water Cooler

Students Create 'Mind Control' Video Games

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) ― Imagine a video game that you can control, with your mind. It's being created by students at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

They call the game Lazy Brains. It uses a neuro-imaging device that's placed on the player's forehead.

The device is capable of reading your brain signals, allowing you to actually think your way through the video game, reports CBS station KYW-TV in Philadelphia.

The neuro-imaging device is currently being used by doctors to test anesthesia awareness in patients.

Six students at Drexel thought of interfacing the device with a computer.

Although it appears to read your mind when you lift the manhole covers in the game, what it's really doing is reading how hard you're concentrating.

That's accomplished by measuring the oxygenation levels in your brain.

Hasan Ayaz, who helped create the game explains, "This is mainly measuring brain signals from preferential cortex which means cognitive functions, executive decision making, and attention."

The game is called Lazy Brains because the concept is that a lazy child who's always on the couch watching TV gets sucked into his television, and is forced to use his brain to escape from a virtual world.

Unlike the popular Wii games getting kids off the couch, in this game there's no remote. In fact there's no movement at all. It's designed for the ultimate couch potato, or possibly something more profound.

Professors at Drexel think it could be a tool to help students with ADHD focus. They also say since this device will eventually detect more brain activity, it may one day give the severely disabled who can't talk a way to communicate directly from their brain to the computer.

Jordan Santell, one of the co-creators at Drexel says "The medical benefits are still unknown."

Another co-creator, Aaron Bohenick says, "It'll allow for somebody who doesn't have the physical ability to interface with the computer."

The potential for this creation: An amazing tool for doctors, or just a far out virtual experience!

For more information about the games being created at Drexel University you can go to their Web site.

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