Google Glass might be theoretically freeing our hands from our smartphones, but it still needs our voices or our fingers for some of its actions. But what if you could make it do what you want just by thinking about it? That is what design studio This Place is creating MindRDR for, an app that brings the growing science of telekinesis to Google’s smart eyewear.
OK, so maybe you won’t be able to make Google Glass do everything you want just yet. At the moment, MindRDR, pronounced as “mind reader” of course, does already work but its functionality is quite limited. At most, you can take a photo and upload it to Twitter or Facebook, without uttering a single word or tapping on the Glass’ touchpad. Perfect for clandestine snooping. The EEG monitor used for this project is currently only able to monitor 4 senses in the brain, a small fraction when you consider that it is believed that there are about 18 possible senses up there.
At first glance, MindRDR might seem frivolous if not eccentric, but its applications, and telekinetic products in general, can actually be philanthropic. In theory, it could give physically handicapped people the ability to control Glass, stay connected, and practically do anything any person can do with the technology. Google Glass by itself has already proven its worth in giving people with disabilities new options. Pair that with mind-reading capabilities and you will be giving people without voices or limited mobility those same options as well.
This Place is providing the MindRDR app for free and is even making it available as open source software. However, the entire setup isn’t exactly free, nor is it cheap. MindRDR currently only works with the Neurosky MindWave EEG headset, setting you back €89, roughly $121. That is, if you haven’t already been set back by the price tag of the Google Glass itself, which is $1,500 in the US and ₤1,000 in the UK. And of course, you’ll need to wear both devices on your head at the same time, as if wearing Glass alone wasn’t conspicuous enough already.
VIA: SlashGear, The Next Web
