In this blog post, we will look at specific examples of how BCI technology, which controls machines through brain waves, can be applied to VR games.
Recently, VR games have been rapidly commercialized around the world. VR game rooms are operating in various regions and are also being used in movies and amusement parks. VR is a cutting-edge technology that creates an artificial environment by calculating the five senses of sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste using a computer, allowing users to experience something as if it were real. When incorporated into games, the movements of various actors are rendered graphically, giving users the illusion that they are actually playing the game. However, current VR technology focuses mainly on providing a sense of realism through sight, and the precision of motion rendering is not very high. If the precision of motion can be improved, it will be possible to give users a greater sense of reality. By combining VR with BCI technology, which allows computers to be controlled with the power of thought, it will be possible not only to accurately implement motion, but also to play VR games in a limited space, such as sitting in a chair, instead of in a room that is currently about 3.3 square meters in size. Next, we will explain the definition of BCI technology that will be combined with current VR games and how the technology will be implemented.
Currently, VR games are played in a room where one person enters, wears a VR device, and plays alone or with friends online. The player holds a stick in each hand to control the game, and the VR device projects different images onto each eye to create a three-dimensional effect. With the addition of sound, virtual reality experiences that feel like the real world are possible through virtual sound that distinguishes not only left and right, but also up, down, and distance. However, VR games of this type require a large space and lack the ability to implement touch, smell, and taste. BCI technology is the solution to this problem.
BCI technology stands for Brain-Computer Interface, which refers to a system that connects the brain directly to a computer or machine so that the brain can operate the computer or machine. Depending on the researcher, it is also called Brain Machine Interface (BMI), but it is commonly referred to as BCI. The interface media of BCI is the signal generated during brain activity, which is called brain waves. Currently, the significant frequencies that can be used for BCI technology are the mu band of 8-12Hz and the beta bands of 12-20Hz, 20-30Hz, and 13-35Hz. These frequencies are mainly caused by movement. Even just imagining a movement causes brain waves similar to those generated during the movement, so it is possible to operate a computer just by thinking about the movement. BCI technology is implemented by detecting and recognizing brain activity through a mechanical device, as shown in the photo above, and then analyzing it through a signaling process to issue commands to input/output devices. BCI technology is classified into invasive (insertion type) and non-invasive (non-insertion type) depending on the area where brain waves are measured. Implantable BCI, which involves opening the skull and implanting a device in the brain, enables accurate measurement but may pose safety issues. On the other hand, non-implantable BCI does not involve inserting an interface into the body, and the most promising method currently is to attach an EEG (electroencephalography) terminal to the scalp to read brain waves. This method is advantageous for commercialization for the general public.
An example of BCI technology being used in the gaming industry is Neurable, a BCI startup in Boston, which developed the world’s first VR game that allows players to control game characters with their thoughts. Players can fight robots, move objects, and move around in a virtual game environment without the need for a controller, unlike other virtual reality devices. Recently, Neurable collaborated with Spanish VR graphics company estudiofuture to unveil a VR game at SIGGRAPH 2017 that utilizes HTC’s virtual reality headset Vive and seven electrodes. This game does not use EEG brain wave patterns, but instead utilizes event-related potentials (ERP), which are signals that appear when the brain responds to specific stimuli. In this game called “Awakening,” users play the game without using their hands, such as picking up objects and turning robot dogs into balloon-shaped animals, using only their thoughts. They move around the room and fight robots while carrying out a mission to escape from a government-built laboratory.
Currently, VR games are played by entering a room and using software and a headset, but this requires space and some senses cannot be fully realized. BCI technology is the solution to this problem. BCI technology connects the brain to a computer, enabling the brain to operate computers and machines, which receive signals from the brain and help control them through a signaling process. The implementation methods can be broadly divided into insertable and non-insertable types. Insertable types are highly accurate but less safe, while non-insertable types have high commercial potential. This technology can be applied not only to simple games but also to VR games. In fact, Newable has developed a VR arcade game utilizing BCI technology. BCI technology has the potential to be used in various fields.
