14 DAY TRIAL // We are all familiar with the concept of mind-reading. While most of us consider it to be a capacity reserved for fairies (like Sookie from True Blood) or mediums, it’s interesting to see how myth is starting to make a descent into reality.
The advent of technologies like the Google Glass have prompted some researchers to try and develop apps that can actually read people’s emotions based on their facial expressions. But what about mind-reading? Can it be achieved? Keep reading to find out.
A fashion item that knows what your brain is up to
The fashion industry has been home to a series of concoctions that blend technology with the art of styling, but the latest piece coming from designer Kristin Neidlinger is bound to blow your mind a little bit.
She employed the help of a company called MACHINIC and of colleagues Grant Patterson and Nathan Tucker in order to design a unique headdress called the NEUROTiQ.
The headpiece brings back vibes from the French court of Versailles and can be considered a beautification accessory like in the Renaissance, but there’s a lot more to it than that.
Since the headdress sits on your head, it takes advantage of a bunch of sensors to monitor your brain waves and translate these signals. As a result, the headpiece will light up and show onlookers how the wearer’s brain is functioning.
The NEUROTiQ uses 3D printed materials
The NUROTiQ is made up of 14 3D printed synapse-like light points called globules. These globules embed LED lights that respond to 14 Emotiv Epoc EEG brain sensors that live on different areas of the headpiece.
The resulting colors that are displayed represent the different states of the brain underneath the headdress.
To get an idea, deep sleep is highlighted by the color red, meditation by orange, consciousness in yellow-green, and gamma goes by blue, purple, or red.
Now, you might be wondering if it feels like going for a CAT scan while wearing the NEUROTiQ. This is not the case, as our designer has taken advantage of 3D technology and traditional knitting in order to create a comfortable user experience.
The globules have been embedded into this mesh within a nylon knit. The 3D printing of the globules was made using a Form 1 3D printer and took 8 to 10 hours. On the other hand, the globules proved to be trickier, so the designer had to work a total of 61 hours on them.
A future where communication advances to the point where people can step beyond words in order to interact is certainly a fascinating concept to behold. And the NEUROTiQ is paving the way.
