Developers have turned Google Glass into a mind-reading device

10 Jul 2014

A team of developers is looking beyond voice activation on Google Glass and has developed an additional piece of hardware and app that will allow the user to control the smart glasses with his or her mind.

Known as MindRDR, the London-based developers have been eager to create this technology since Google Glass was first announced. The team has spent time developing the hardware, in the form of the Neurosky EEG biosensor that monitors the user’s brainwaves and translates this into an action, such as using the user’s eyes’ focus to focus Google Glass’ camera on an object.

Once the photo is taken, the app will send the image to that person’s pre-selected social media profiles.

The existing technology with the EEG biosensor has become less expensive over the years, with some models priced at about €150. For the MindRDR team, the idea is very much considered open source, as it has released the app online for free.

However, the developers have reiterated that the device is not a mind-reader in the sense it can find your deepest and darkest thoughts, but is only a monitor of brainwaves – similar to a brain scan – that can turn brainwaves into actions.

However, it appears Google itself is not too happy with the idea, as a spokesperson told the BBC the company will not be posting the app on the Google Glass store.

“This particular application seems to work through a separate piece of kit which you attach to Glass. We have not reviewed, nor approved, the app so it won’t be available in the Glass app store.”

Colm Gorey was a senior journalist with Silicon Republic

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