SYDNEY (AAP)

It sounds more like an invention from a 1950s sci-fi comic but an Australian start-up is out to convince the world its new thought-detecting headset is no sideshow alley trick.

Emotiv Systems on Wednesday lifts the veil on its kit at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, a Mecca for those in the multi-billion dollar industry.

The kit includes the company's headset known as Project Epoc, which is able to detect electrical activity in the brain - or electroencephalogram (EEG) - and translate this into meaningful data for a computer to read and respond to.

Emotiv chief executive Nam Do says while the Epoc is primarily about increasing the level of realism for gamers, it could significantly change the way humans interact with computers.

He said interactions between man and machine have generally always been in the context of conscious communication - turning on a light or writing a piece of programming.

"But communication amongst humans is a lot more interesting because we have what we call non-conscious communication," Mr Do said.

"We read body language, facial expressions, feelings and emotions.

"Our vision is that the next generation of man and machine communication will not be limited to just the conscious but that non-conscious will play a big part."

The kit currently features three main application suites called Expressiv, Affectiv and Cognitiv.

Through reading EEG patterns from different parts of the brain, Expressiv attempts to mimic the user's facial expressions on a graphical representation of a user - known as an avatar - on platforms such as Second Life.

Facial gestures include smiling, frowning, winking and blinking.

"The character in the game is aware that you laughed at their joke and they can respond in kind and their interaction is more natural," Emotiv chief product officer Randy Breen said.

The Affectiv suite is able to detect certain emotions or levels of interest, adding another layer of reality to avatars.

It could also be used to detect how users are feeling about the programs they are operating - including levels of comfort or frustration - and respond accordingly.

The third application, Cognitiv, allows a user to control the movement of a virtual object, such as a ball by imagining particular actions including pushing, pulling, rotating or lifting.

It requires gamers to mentally concentrate on a particular action.

The technology could be used to help Harry Potter move an object through a spell in a video game version of the fantasy series.

Instead of pushing a combination of buttons to perform a spell, a player's success in moving an object on the screen would depend on their ability to visualise the action.

"It's not an immediate action like a joystick and it's not meant to replace a joystick but it has the potential to fulfil a fantasy that again makes the experience more immersive," Mr Breen said.

If it all sounds a bit fanciful, Emotiv is hoping some of the names that have staked their careers on the technology might turn the cynics.

As well as Mr Do and Mr Breen - previously head of development at LucasArts - Emotiv's founding team includes Marconi Prize winning scientist Allan Snyder and 1998 Young Australian of the year Tan Le.

The company, which is based in Sydney and San Francisco, has sought funding from a number of sources, including private venture capitalists.

It will initially pitch the device to the innovation-hungry game developers with the view that other industries might adopt real-world applications of the technology in the near future.
07/03/2007 04:32:03 PM