Comments on: Playing With Your Thoughts http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/ A blog on virtual worlds, games, and digital content, from Matt Mihaly Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:43:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Matt http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-12319 Thu, 29 Mar 2007 19:20:27 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-12319 Your suggestion that technology could possibly have any negatives is absurd, Alan. History shows us quite clearly that every new technology is deployed solely for the public good. ;) Seriously, can't say I had considered that at all. Interesting idea to posit. --matt Your suggestion that technology could possibly have any negatives is absurd, Alan. History shows us quite clearly that every new technology is deployed solely for the public good. ;)

Seriously, can’t say I had considered that at all. Interesting idea to posit.

–matt

]]> by: Alan Majer http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-12318 Thu, 29 Mar 2007 19:00:08 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-12318 Trying to create macro measurable phenomenon that can be measured, learned, and then amplified with practice make me wonder if this could have unintended (and potentially negative) long term side effects on our brains themselves. What if we, unbeknownst to ourselves, were slowly moving our brainwaves into "louder" more easily measured effects by these devices, but were also some creating unstable configurations of our neural wiring at the same time. Sorta like adjusting your engine timing to see if you can get fire to come out of the exhaust, sure it's possible (and cool-looking), but how good is it for the engine. Someone I know once "trained" themselves to try to get rid of their blink reflex just to see if they could do it (e.g. when someone suddenly waves their hand in front of your face most people automaticaly blink). Sure enough it worked, they don't blink anymore. But there's a good reason why that blink reflex exists in the first place. Perhaps there's a good evolutionary reason for the natural patterns our brainwaves follow, not sure we want to start consciously disturbing them. I think these kinds of technologies have tremendous potential (e.g. new interface options for someone who is paralyzed for example), so I hate to be a stick in the mud, but until we really understand how the brain works we might be playing with fire. Trying to create macro measurable phenomenon that can be measured, learned, and then amplified with practice make me wonder if this could have unintended (and potentially negative) long term side effects on our brains themselves. What if we, unbeknownst to ourselves, were slowly moving our brainwaves into “louder” more easily measured effects by these devices, but were also some creating unstable configurations of our neural wiring at the same time. Sorta like adjusting your engine timing to see if you can get fire to come out of the exhaust, sure it’s possible (and cool-looking), but how good is it for the engine. Someone I know once “trained” themselves to try to get rid of their blink reflex just to see if they could do it (e.g. when someone suddenly waves their hand in front of your face most people automaticaly blink). Sure enough it worked, they don’t blink anymore. But there’s a good reason why that blink reflex exists in the first place. Perhaps there’s a good evolutionary reason for the natural patterns our brainwaves follow, not sure we want to start consciously disturbing them. I think these kinds of technologies have tremendous potential (e.g. new interface options for someone who is paralyzed for example), so I hate to be a stick in the mud, but until we really understand how the brain works we might be playing with fire.

]]> by: Pentharian http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11548 Sun, 11 Mar 2007 14:59:51 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11548 I've done some research in BioFeedback technology, and one of the interesting programs to help teach kids with ADD to try to lower their theta wave activity and increase alpha waves was a program that showed your theta threshold as a fighter jet. As your theta concentration raised or lowered, the jet would fly up or down. There would be sites you had to blow up, so you would need to be sure your threshold was low enough at the right time. I watched the guy who ran the clinic do it and he was able to control the plane pretty effortlessly, but I had some trouble. Then again, this was a pretty simplistic program, and it only measured something that I had had no practice controlling consciously. Seems like this should be some interesting new tech. I’ve done some research in BioFeedback technology, and one of the interesting programs to help teach kids with ADD to try to lower their theta wave activity and increase alpha waves was a program that showed your theta threshold as a fighter jet. As your theta concentration raised or lowered, the jet would fly up or down. There would be sites you had to blow up, so you would need to be sure your threshold was low enough at the right time.

I watched the guy who ran the clinic do it and he was able to control the plane pretty effortlessly, but I had some trouble.

Then again, this was a pretty simplistic program, and it only measured something that I had had no practice controlling consciously.

Seems like this should be some interesting new tech.

]]> by: Raph http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11508 Sun, 11 Mar 2007 00:50:01 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11508 I tried it. The demo measured calmness and focus. Basically, I could point the mouse at something, and by focusing or being calm I could push it or levitate it. But I didn't feel any difference between focusing and being calm. And i could pull versus push with my mind, but only by hitting a mouse button. But pushing with just my mind did indeed work. It was a surpsiringly natural feeling, but it felt hard to control. I tried it. The demo measured calmness and focus. Basically, I could point the mouse at something, and by focusing or being calm I could push it or levitate it. But I didn’t feel any difference between focusing and being calm. And i could pull versus push with my mind, but only by hitting a mouse button. But pushing with just my mind did indeed work. It was a surpsiringly natural feeling, but it felt hard to control.

]]> by: Andrew Crystall http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11468 Sat, 10 Mar 2007 01:06:26 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11468 Trevor, depends. If it's a direct input device... Joseph - I think we're some way off that. But, well, designers...visual scripting system. Hm! Trevor, depends. If it’s a direct input device…

Joseph - I think we’re some way off that. But, well, designers…visual scripting system. Hm!

]]> by: Joseph Monk http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11455 Fri, 09 Mar 2007 17:32:22 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11455 The possible other uses for such technology is just... *images how much faster he could code without needing to wait for slow fingers* The possible other uses for such technology is just… *images how much faster he could code without needing to wait for slow fingers*

]]> by: Acrune http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11454 Fri, 09 Mar 2007 17:29:06 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11454 If it works good, I'd consider paying for an expensive curiosity-type gaming device like that. I'm reaalllly lazy, and my fingers are tired. If it works good, I’d consider paying for an expensive curiosity-type gaming device like that. I’m reaalllly lazy, and my fingers are tired.

]]> by: Trevor Perry http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11450 Fri, 09 Mar 2007 14:56:45 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11450 Even if they manage to make the technology low-cost, it'll still be high-cost software to make it work with any games, because for the first 5-10 years after its mainstream release, it'll just be a curiosity-type gaming device, and that will make the games very expensive in order to pay for developement costs. Even if they manage to make the technology low-cost, it’ll still be high-cost software to make it work with any games, because for the first 5-10 years after its mainstream release, it’ll just be a curiosity-type gaming device, and that will make the games very expensive in order to pay for developement costs.

]]> by: Andrew Crystall http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11445 Fri, 09 Mar 2007 13:16:28 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11445 "I’m a little dubious as to how good the technology can be" It can be pretty darn good, in the lab. How well that translates to low-cost consumer goods... “I’m a little dubious as to how good the technology can be”

It can be pretty darn good, in the lab. How well that translates to low-cost consumer goods…

]]> by: Joseph Monk http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11436 Fri, 09 Mar 2007 10:33:04 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2007/03/09/playing-with-your-thoughts/#comment-11436 So... Where do I send the check? So… Where do I send the check?

]]>