Using Mind Power to Control Electronics

The idea of mind-control to manipulate electronics is no longer some futuristic fantasy. InteraXon is a Canadian-based software company that has developed a system which allows you to control electronic devices by simply focusing your thoughts.

This innovative technology made a huge splash during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics when visitors at its pavilion strapped on headsets, and used their minds to control lighting displays across the country in Niagara Falls, the CN Tower in Toronto, and government buildings in Ontario.

According to InteraXon’s website, we generate brainwaves that can be detected by Electroencephalograph (EEG)—with practice we can control our overall activity pattern. The headsets translate our brainwaves into signals that a computer can understand, and therefore we can control virtually all electronics, hands-free.

While this technology is very cool, it can be applied to many things such as improving the lives of people with disabilities—imagine the benefits of being able to control a wheelchair, or open doors with your mind.

But while this technology has many positive implications, there are some downsides as well. If this system ever gets into the hands of the general populace, can you imagine the laziness that would ensue? Why bother getting out of bed when you can control your music player, T.V., lights, and computer without moving a single muscle?

We would all become obese and inert like our future-selves in Pixar’s animated movie WALL-E who have become so computer-reliant that they no longer need to rely on physical actions to get things done. And I don’t even want to think about the couples whose marriages would be on the rocks for fighting over the remote control…

Husband: Let’s watch Ultimate Fighter.
*Click*
Wife: Hmm…How about a nice romantic comedy instead, like When Harry Met Sally?
*Click*
Husband: But we can rent that movie later.
*Click*
Wife: We never do anything romantic together.
*Click*
*Click*
*Click*
*Click*

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