If you are anything like me, then you have been through the long hunt of finding that lost remote control, and we all know that sofas are secretly remote control black holes.
Now, instead of reaching for the remote or fingers stabbing wildly at your smartphone, the BBC have taken user-to-TV interaction one step further and believe that future navigation of your TV could be via mind control.
The BBC is testing a brainwave reading headset device that has been developed by a company called ‘This Place’. Apparently, the device will allow you to launch iPlayer and choose programmes with your thoughts alone.
The unit itself does its ‘magic’ using two sensors; the first being on your forehead and the second on your ear. These sensors interpret electrical activity in the brain as ‘concentration’ or ‘meditation’, and the theory is that depending on what you prefer, focusing your mind will trigger a command. The commands could be as simple as launching the app or scrolling through five choices of programmes. As soon as the app scrolls to your chosen TV show all you need do is ‘think’ until a pink volume bar fills up on the left side of the screen.
Obviously, the functions of this device are still basic, but as with all things this advanced the baby steps will begin to quicken as the BBC hopes it can be adapted to help viewers with disabilities, which is, of course, fantastic news. As it stands at the moment, it is a proof of concept, but who knows; one day you really may be a wizard, Harry!
Source: BBC News
Thanks for the article. For those who live outside UK and want to access BBC iPlayer, you can use UnoTelly as I do to get around the geo block.
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