Stanley Yang - Mind-Machine Interface: Its the Thought that Counts
From: TASC presentation of 07/25/2006

Presentation announcement:
Stanley Yang is CEO of NeuroSky, a San Jose based startup developing
technology that monitors a persons brain waves and uses the signals as
inputs to control the action in video games and other applications. 
NeuroSky's system prototype uses a low cost sensor-laden headband to gather
signals from the brain and a special processing chip to interpret the
signals.  

Stanley will describe the technology behind the mind-machine interface and
discuss the broad range of possible applications, such as entertainment and
driving safety systems, that NeuroSky is targeting.

Presentation notes:
Stanley began his talk by saying he had spent the whole day fielding
questions about his companies technology yesterday. NPR had done a segment on
the company, so he should be ready for any questions that might come up. He
is also proud that NeuroSky got a "Best of Show" award at Stanford's Cool
Stuff Expo, when kids had been lined up steadily to try it out. 

Then Stanley explained that NeuroSky's product is a headset with a single dry
sensor (no gels) that touches the wearer's skin on the fore- head, two ground
contacts near the ears, and a chip that sorts the five microvolt signals the
human brain puts out from the ambient noise that is all around us. This
signal is then fed into a computer via a USB cable, where it can be
interpreted in any way that a user's application needs.  He showed us an FFT
plot of the signal response of NeuroSky's headset side by side with that of a
laboratory quality sensor. We could see that the plots were similar, but the
professional model had a slight signal response advantage. Stanley explained
that NeuroSky's advantage was that it was easy to put on and the connections
were dry, a major convenience enhancement. 

Then Johnny demonstrated the product. It was a headband with two metal dots
about two-thirds the size of a dime built in above the eyes, and a couple
more hanging down the back that he taped to the skin under his ears. There
was also a box that looked like a battery pack at the back, and a computer
cable coming out. He plugged that into his laptop and brought up a display
where meters were able to track anxiety, relaxation, and attention. A couple
of members of the audience also tried it. The one who had been meditating for
seven years was able to peg the relaxation meter, and the other one had
trouble not having the attention meter high. 

Stanley explained that NeuroSky's business model involved just selling the
sensor setup, and leaving the applications to other people. At this point he
is working with videvideo game companies that want to sell a user unit for
about $49.95 to add more three dimensional qualities to games. Also in the
works are safety applications like a headset for garment workers that will
turn off their sewing machine if they start getting sleepy. He knew of many
people who wouldn't have sewn their thumbs if such equipment had been there
for them. There are similar opportunities to protect truck drivers. Other
customers are looking into lie detector, airport security, and military type
applications. He is optimistic about the future. 

During Q&A the following were discussed: 

If somebody thinks of a color, it creates the same waveform pattern,
regardless of the culture or language that person uses. 

One relm of applications for the product is helping train people with ADD on
how to relax. Today such people have to go into a doctor's office to get
feedback training. There they have a nurse rub salve on their skin and glue
instrumentation in place. NeuroSky's technology is much more convienient, and
it does almost as good a job. This makes home based self study an option. 

Most of the proprietary advantages of NeuroSky's come from the circuits in
the chips that amplify the brain signal and seperate it from ambient noise. 

Notes submitted by Tian Harter

Links:
NeuroSky
http://www.neurosky.com/

Neurosky lets your your brainwaves do things -- supposedly
http://www.siliconbeat.com/entries/2006/01/30/neurosky_lets_your_your_brainwaves_do_things_supposedly.html

Mind Control Made Simple
http://www.thefeaturearchives.com/topic/Technology/Mind_Control_Made_Simple.html

Brain Interface Ventures
http://yummyworks.com/Yummy-Ideas/?p=163

Gamers may soon control action with thoughts
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/business/technology/14415506.htm

Gamers may get 'Jedi' skills in future
http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/accent/134935.php

