October 15, 2007
Thought-Controlled Avatars Emerge in Second Life
The virtual world Second Life is popular among disabled people, many of whose limitations in the real world appear nonexistent in the digital environment. Assuming alter-egos, they can fly, run, dance, and socialize without people perceiving them as different.
Now it looks as if people with serious physical disabilities who are unable to explore a virtual world because they can’t manipulate a computer mouse or give voice to a digital character may still be able to immerse themselves in Second Life.
Researchers at the Keio University Biomedical Engineering Laboratory, in Japan, have created a brain-computer interface that allows people to use their thoughts to control the movements of their Second Life avatars. A user dons a headpiece equipped with electrodes that monitor activity in a region of the brain that controls the movement of limbs. When a user thinks about moving his own feet, the avatar walk forward. When a user thinks about moving his arms either right or left, the avatar turns that way.—Andrea L. Foster
Posted on Monday October 15, 2007 | Permalink |Comments
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If this is universal enough and doesn’t require ‘training’ of the algorithm for a particular individual then this seems like one way to allow seemingly comatose or severely disabled individuals to have a ‘second life’ of their own, though it would require the real people in their lives to also establish themselves in the virtual world.
— Glenn Spiczak Oct 16, 01:52 PM #
Here’s a fun game – every time the Chronicle writes about “second life” do a shot. You’ll be wasted by noon!
— Spanky Context Oct 18, 05:48 PM #