1.1 General Introduction
The steadily growing field of brain–computer interfacing (BCI) may develop useful technologies, with a major positive impact on individuals and society as a whole. Meanwhile, the development of BCI presents significant ethical and legal challenges. Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) have attracted much attention recently, triggered by new scientific progress in understanding brain function and by impressive applications. A Brain Computer Interface (BCI) is a computer device that helps a person operates a computer by using his brain waves. Brain waves are patterns of electrical brain activity. Brain cells can communicate with each other by electricity and chemicals called neurotransmitters. The electrical activity of the brain is measured by a test called the electroencephalogram (EEG). For this test, tiny metal discs called electrodes are painlessly stuck to the scalp. These electrodes can pick up the electrical impulses of the brain, which pass …show more content…
In Alpha-World of Warcraft(alphaWoW) affective signals couple the mood of the player to her avatar in an immersive game environment. Alpha activity recorded over the parietal lobe isused to control one aspect of the game character,while conventional controls are still used for the rest. World of Warcraft® is a very popular massively-multiplayer online role playing game (Blizzard Entertainment®, Inc2008). For our application, the user plays a druid who can shape-shift into animal forms. In bear form, with its thick skin, the druid is better protected from physical attacks, and is also quite the fighter with sharp claws and teeth.
In her normal elf form, she is much more fragile, but can cast effective spells for damage to knock out enemies from a distance as well as to heal herself. In alpha WoW, the shifting between these shapes is controlled by the user’s alpha activity. A user playing World of Warcraft using both conventional controls and brain activity to control her character in the
The steadily growing field of brain–computer interfacing (BCI) may develop useful technologies, with a major positive impact on individuals and society as a whole. Meanwhile, the development of BCI presents significant ethical and legal challenges. Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) have attracted much attention recently, triggered by new scientific progress in understanding brain function and by impressive applications. A Brain Computer Interface (BCI) is a computer device that helps a person operates a computer by using his brain waves. Brain waves are patterns of electrical brain activity. Brain cells can communicate with each other by electricity and chemicals called neurotransmitters. The electrical activity of the brain is measured by a test called the electroencephalogram (EEG). For this test, tiny metal discs called electrodes are painlessly stuck to the scalp. These electrodes can pick up the electrical impulses of the brain, which pass …show more content…
In Alpha-World of Warcraft(alphaWoW) affective signals couple the mood of the player to her avatar in an immersive game environment. Alpha activity recorded over the parietal lobe isused to control one aspect of the game character,while conventional controls are still used for the rest. World of Warcraft® is a very popular massively-multiplayer online role playing game (Blizzard Entertainment®, Inc2008). For our application, the user plays a druid who can shape-shift into animal forms. In bear form, with its thick skin, the druid is better protected from physical attacks, and is also quite the fighter with sharp claws and teeth.
In her normal elf form, she is much more fragile, but can cast effective spells for damage to knock out enemies from a distance as well as to heal herself. In alpha WoW, the shifting between these shapes is controlled by the user’s alpha activity. A user playing World of Warcraft using both conventional controls and brain activity to control her character in the