One of the biggest debts virtual reality owes its users is freedom. Mainstream models still depend on cables, and one way or another we're forced to hold a controller. So what happens if we remove that factor? A small company called Neurable is exploring that possibility, with a solution that fuses a brain interface into a VR headset to let you control video games with your mind.
Beyond Traditional Controls
Voice recognition, gesture detection, eye tracking... there are many options seeking to replace traditional interfaces, but the process isn't simple. Classic peripherals are convincingly effective, so it's logical that even modern platforms adapt to them, and virtual reality is no exception. In the past we've seen plenty of demos focused on using controllers to reproduce hand movement inside virtual space, yet we know that's not ideal. Personally, I believe we're still far from special gloves or suits, but a startup called Neurable revealed something at the latest SIGGRAPH conference that could wipe out everything in its path: mental control in virtual reality.
The Awakening Demo
The demo consisted of an HTC Vive equipped with a brain interface and a video game (dubbed 'Awakening') developed by the Spanish company estudiofuture. The modification to the Vive boils down to replacing its elastic strap with a network of seven electrodes. A very striking aspect of this technology is that it doesn't rely on traditional electroencephalographic patterns, but instead records “event-related potentials”, or ERP — much more specific signals that arise when the human brain responds to a stimulus.
What Comes Next
Neurable's next step is to launch its interface in virtual reality arcades during 2018, optimize the overall design to make the accessory smaller and more comfortable, and present units to developers interested in creating compatible software. The best part about Neurable is that it has no exclusivity plans. Its current prototype works with the Vive, but there shouldn't be major obstacles if someone decides to make a version targeting the Oculus Rift or Microsoft's HoloLens.
