It's not often that a
Mattel toy targets the 18 - 128 demographic, but we'll be frank -- the Mindflex has us all sorts of intrigued. Originally
introduced at this year's CES, said game is a brain-powered fun-fest that relies on intense mental activity to control the height of a ball suspended in a column of air. Early on,
we heard that it would land sometime during this year for $80, but it seems as if only one of those factoids will prove true. Indeed, Amazon has it listed to ship on October 1st, which gives proactive parents plenty of time to stock up for the holidays. Unfortunately, the price seems to have inched up by a Jackson, as it's currently up for pre-order at $99.99. Rest assured, however, that said price is far less than what you'll pay on eBay if you're empty-handed come December 20th.
[Via
I4U News]
posted May 24th 2009 12:57AM
Use the force!
I ran out of lubricant.
Pretty neat. Wonder what else that can be used for.
air purifier
I still say bullshit. I'm not paying for this thing until I can try it out.
There's a neural impulse mouse so I don't see why this would have to be any different. They're not claiming you can cut a carrot or please yourself...
There is a similar game that involves the Harry Potter marque. The ball floats around the track, and through variation of the dials, the player navigates Harry Potter themed obstacles. In all fairness, it is still a neat and mind-stimulating concept.
and then the point hit me... It's actually brain powered, cool, now I want one :)
I had that game and it was actually exactly like this
http://www.toymania.com/columns/spotlight/images/hpotterleviso.jpg
some of the parts moved and rotaed on the board.
i cant believe they displayed this at ces as new tech.
What the fuck is that? It reminded me of Mr.Garrison's airplane alternative: http://southparkstudios.com/clips/153058
Will this train are brain to all be like lawnmower man?
unless this bitch can plant me into the matrix then they can forget about it
You are in The Matrix.
do the headphone's clamps clip onto the nipples?
I wonder if the headset will fit onto my dog?
I'm reading all of your comments... I think it's safe to say that it's time to sleep. Good night!
I want this to work, but I'm getting this idea that its probably sensing tension in the users face or some off shoot that can be advertised as mind control. We can only wait and see.
Interesting. I was using a version of this (albeit an industrial model) when giving a lecture on psychophysiology a month or two ago. Assuming it's based on the same underlying technology, then yeah, this works.
if you were truly using an industrial model it undoubtedly uses SQUID's which this does not. If you were giving the lecture I'm surprised you don't understand the difference; even if this isn't closely related to your study, some one in "psychophysiology" ought to understand the differences between how differing systems "read" the mind, or at least be able to infer why a hundred dollar toy wouldn't incorporate said technology.
I still have no idea how this thing works off of your brain. How can you control it?
Haha, nah, it was nothing that complex, and when I said 'industrial' model, I just meant something without the coloured plastic covering it.
Basically, all this thing did was have participants control a ball using what they thought was brain power. In reality, it was just getting them to engage in some basic biofeedback. When they concentrated, electrodermal activity was increased, which in turn affected the ball. Conversely, when they relaxed, EDA was reduced.
In effect, this gadget (for the life of me I forget the name, as this was the one and only time I had used it) was a basic Biopac. I'm assuming that this toy works by monitoring the pulse in the outer ear (vagal nerve), which will give you a similar measurement of arousal, without having to hook up electrodes to the fingers.
I've had little contact with neurological equipment, so you'll have to clarify. Squids?
old fashioned name for fMRI. The term actually comes from a science fiction novel
The problem with these devices is sometime they measure brain activity and sometimes muscle activity. muscle activity is much easier , cheaper, and does not require pinpoint accuracy. Your forehead has a lot of complicated muscles in it that are under voluntary control but generally have trouble getting enough feedback from. Much in the way it becomes much simpler to learn to wiggle your ears if you start wearing glasses.
The real test is going to be when someone takes it home and clamps it to their junk. Yes you know it will happen. I personally suspect it will work just as well.
Thanks for the clarification. Yeah, the psychophysiological measures (heart-rate, respiration and perspiration rates, etc.) are a hell of a lot more rudimentary than an fMRI (and a whole lot cheaper).
I guess if it was just the forehead you were aiming at, then a measure of forehead pulse would work. But whatever which way, yeah, putting it on your dork would give you similar readings.
You know what this means: Utube video with the harry potter one labeled "wand training". Big high visiblity wires leading into his pants. Exaggerated hip motions... Isn't it w wonderful world we live in?
During the 1970's there were large versions of these games at local arcades. The local owner claimed that the idea came about when a guy was screwing around at work…where they made hair dryers. ;D
The description reminds me of Forbidden Planet. Creepy.
Jesus. I feel ashamed as a neuroscientist to be reading these comments...
a) SQUID = super quantum interference device. These are used only on magnetoencephalographs (the brain scanner I use), and measure the magnetic fields emitted by the brain. They are not what MRIs used to be called, and they are not what are in industrial grade brain scanners, unless that brain scanner happens to be a MEG... which very few brain scanners in the world are. they're essentially 2 superconducting rings attached to one another, liquid helium cooled.
b) this toy uses several EEG electrodes - EEG standing for electroencephalograph - to allow the user to practice biofeedback, a phenomenon known in the field since the 70's, as the technology of EEG has actually been around since the turn of the last century.
c) these toys do work. there's a cool video on TED that shows a slightly more sophisticated version of this for retail, and can explain how in fact it works. they require training and practice.
d) EEG is completely non-invasive, as it only measures electrical output on the surface of the skull. there are no magnetic pulses, positrons, x-rays, or anything akin shot into you.
*now an interesting question would have been: how good are the EEG electrodes that sit on the surface of the skull with no conductivity gel, and a shitty amp? - remember: brain waves are tiny and you need to amplify the shit outta them. or... while these toys DO measure electrical skull conductivity, remember that eye blinks and muscle movement on the face also elicit electrical fields. how good are these things are recognizing that?
Okay, but how well do they work if you clamp em to your junk? Don't say no one knows, I know how curious you scientists are.
An MRI and an fMRI are not the same. fMRI is also used for real time 3d brain activity mapping just like MEG, and since it so dominates the field it seems I got the two conflated. fairly easy to do, They both use superconducting magnets and the machines even look the same. Apparently MEG is now used as part of the fMRI process which my have made the problem worse.
Mattel Mindf***
Awesome name.
This reminds me of "The Game" episode from Star Trek: TNG.