NextMind's Brain-Computer Interface Kit Begins Shipping To Developers (venturebeat.com) 24
"Don a headset which places a sensor on the back of your head, and it'll detect your brainwaves which can then be translated into digital actions," writes Engadget.
VentureBeat reports that NextMind "has started shipping its real-time brain computer interface Dev Kit for $399." The device translates brain signals into digital commands, allowing you to control computers, AR/VR headsets, and IoT devices (lights, TVs, music, games, and so on) with your visual attention.
Paris-based NextMind is part of a growing number of startups building neural interfaces that rely on machine learning algorithms. There are invasive devices like the one from Elon Musk's Neuralink, which in August revealed a prototype showing readings from a pig's brain using a coin-shaped device implanted under the skull. There are also noninvasive devices like the electromyography wristband that translates neuromuscular signals into machine-interpretable commands from Ctrl-labs, which Facebook acquired in September 2019. NextMind is developing a noninvasive device — an electroencephalogram (EEG) worn on the back of your head, where your brain's visual cortex is located.
When we spoke with NextMind CEO Sid Kouider last year, he promised the kits would begin shipping in Q2 2020. Then the pandemic hit. "We had about three, four months of delays due to COVID-19, but not more than that in terms of production," Kouider told VentureBeat. The company shipped "hundreds" of Dev Kits in November after producing its first thousand units. Another thousand units are set to be produced next month.
VentureBeat reports that NextMind "has started shipping its real-time brain computer interface Dev Kit for $399." The device translates brain signals into digital commands, allowing you to control computers, AR/VR headsets, and IoT devices (lights, TVs, music, games, and so on) with your visual attention.
Paris-based NextMind is part of a growing number of startups building neural interfaces that rely on machine learning algorithms. There are invasive devices like the one from Elon Musk's Neuralink, which in August revealed a prototype showing readings from a pig's brain using a coin-shaped device implanted under the skull. There are also noninvasive devices like the electromyography wristband that translates neuromuscular signals into machine-interpretable commands from Ctrl-labs, which Facebook acquired in September 2019. NextMind is developing a noninvasive device — an electroencephalogram (EEG) worn on the back of your head, where your brain's visual cortex is located.
When we spoke with NextMind CEO Sid Kouider last year, he promised the kits would begin shipping in Q2 2020. Then the pandemic hit. "We had about three, four months of delays due to COVID-19, but not more than that in terms of production," Kouider told VentureBeat. The company shipped "hundreds" of Dev Kits in November after producing its first thousand units. Another thousand units are set to be produced next month.
Finally, the Bald win out over the Mullet (Score:2)
I would guess that the whole 45 seconds to actually re-adjust the kit everytime you use it would wear pretty thin.
The good news is the kit will probably be easier to find on the coffee table than the 3 or 4 existing remotes I have.
Now Roku will have to invest in integration too.
Skullet! (Score:2)
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my thoughts wonder to call of duty modern warfare.
i am trying to figure out how this could interface into my xbox and dove tail into my controller.
the ability to aim faster would be very useful
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i am trying to figure out how this could interface into my xbox
The linked article mentions the included SDK is Unity based and also mentions that enterprise partners who don't want to use Unity can be given access to the core API. So, can you write a Unity based game that runs on an Xbox?
On the other hand, writing code for a Unity based application to control external devices is certainly possible. There are Arduino projects for emulating HID controllers. Maybe one of those could be modified to emulated the Xbox controller.
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this has me looking into this.
thanks
Comment removed (Score:3)
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Re: The big debate (Score:1)
Why is it a bad thing for them to be activated before injection?
Missing an opportunity (Score:1, Flamebait)
the vaccines have nanotech with them that has been designed to get through the blood-brain barrier; this device is likely able to communicate with them and activate them... god knows what types of changes they can inflict, or possibly reprogram neurons or even control behavior directly
If so that would be awesome, I could hack into them and bypass the government controls, turning myself into some kind of cyber super being!
Probably YouTube will be blocking all nanotech hacking guides, so look out for me on O
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To whoever mod this as flamebait: (Score:1)
I know Poe's law is ever so relevant in the context of these kinds of comments on the internet, but...
Claiming that this decisively overt demonstration of facetiousness went over your head would be an understatement. In fact, it would have been so vertically distanced from the top of your allegedly sapient 1.3kg clump of tightly packed neurons that to exclaim "woosh" would be flat out inappropriate, as the density of air molecules above the atmosphere is not nearly sufficient enough to enable the propagatio
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I'm willing to bet that as this technology evolves, there's going to be a lot of debate between the pros and cons of invasive and non invasive.
Eventually 'invasive' will take the lead, and everybody will rush to get a USB-D socket implanted implanted in the back of their head.
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Obligatory XKCD. [xkcd.com]
The comic was published on 2009-10-02. This poor guy would have been stuck at USB 3.0.
Does it work? (Score:1)
Does it actually work? A lot of these gimmicky headsets have come on the market over the years .. none of them seem to have worked properly so far, as far as a I know.
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Just adding value to your post:
The earliest I know: somewhere in the date range of 1986-1988, I got a IBM PC Peripheral catalog book.
it was a solid 600 pages 8.5 x 11 if not bigger. and I recall clearly a simple brain cap ( like a swim cap ),
with 3 to 8 receptors ( ? ). wires and a ISA ( ? ) card to plug into a slot. $260-$395.
I was amazed by it because it seemed that with this, the Bionic man would just be right around the corner,
which leads to the question "which corner" lol
Just sharing a memory
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Interesting. Did you get it?
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No, what I have found out since then ( because it keeps on attracting me )
skull cap pickups are now about 30-60 locations and much more sensitive.
price is about the same 250-350 for the cap with the pick up and the wires
they have separated the boards out
I just looked and found a quick link
this is not vouching for the quality or anything, just a reference point for interest
http://www.eegelectrodecap.com... [eegelectrodecap.com]
Pretty wild if you ask me, this ones got up to 128 socket's ( electrodes ) I really have to go back to
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I recall reading, several years ago, about an unit that claimed to interpret brain signals associated with speech into words. Supposedly it was able to distinguish spoken vs unspoken (your "inner voice" you often use to silently rehearse something you plan to say, later) and only "read" the unspoken speech. The article claimed a vocabulary of about 150 words that could be recognized. Unfortunately, I've never found any follow up.
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that myth has been around since the 80's
what has changed that is the new learning systems
brain wave reading to words would be a national breakthrough and would qualify as a state secret the minute it because known.
I guess if you had a beewolf cluster of the new IBM neural cards you might get near it, I just don't think that we are anywhere
near beyond detecting brainwaves that trigger angry thoughts.
For an extra $299 (Score:2, Funny)
Don't forget to buy the self install home trepanation kit, it's a must have [neuron harness and attachment kit not includded].
Knob head (Score:2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?... [youtube.com]
The device seems like it could be fun, but any handheld controller or a smartphone can do the same if not more. I doubt it will be easy for a user to multitask with it as most people can with their hands and speech. So you probably cannot talk while you're doing something with it and distractions will likely make you fail. It doesn't look like it's going to replace existing controllers nor revolutionise they way we already do most things. It's going to be a niche product. We
disabled people arcade games (Score:1)