The Emotiv EPOC is a wet 16-sensor EEG headset that can pick up brainwaves. Its applications are numerous but at the moment limited by the current release of the software and the mostly failed attempts at reverse-engineering the meat of the headset. Despite this, it can still prove useful in many ways.
It has the ability to tell the orientation of the head and facial muscle movements. You can train it to do preset commands based off of your brain waves. But currently what has the most potential is the (albeit limited) ability of the Emotiv to tell a few of your emotions.
Any further, unhacked abilities of the Emotiv rely solely on the extrapolation of Emotiv data translated into the OSC format by the freeware MindYourOSCs.
The Emotiv is a piece of hardware I’ve worked with before. For two whole semesters, actually.
I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on a couple of the EPOC/EEG devices that out there, including NeuroSky, a device that you wear as a headband, and a 32-sensor headset.
To clarify, these devices are meant for sensing, for receiving data from the brain and head and outputting to the computer. Not for outputting to the brain and head. While many devices can be multipurposed, please do not attempt that with one of these expensive pieces of equipment. Additionally, the headsets cannot “read your mind.” It can read your brainwave patterns and vaguely read your emotional status, along with determining your facial positioning. But actual mind-reading straight from the headset is currently nonexistent. Will it be possible in the future? Perhaps.
But for now, this technology is in its infancy. And that’s something that makes it all the more intriguing to work with.
I definitely feel your pain as far as trying to hack the headset. I think by understanding the sensors more (how it receives and disburse info) we can use it more for alternate projects