Today, doctors are able to use EEG tests for a variety of applications, such as diagnosing epilepsy as well as other seizure disorders. Nevertheless, one kind of wave can dominate in a given moment. Your brain doesn't emit just one kind of wave at one time rather, it emits multiple kinds of waves simultaneously. Lastly, beta waves, which reflect a very excited or stressed mind, fire fastest at 13 to 40 times per second.

Alpha waves, which we emit when we're in a relaxed, conscious state, come next at about seven to 13 pulses per second. In light sleep, theta waves fire about four to seven times per second. In deep sleep, the brain transmits delta waves, which fire one to four times per second. Your brain waves are usually slowest during sleep.

As we mentioned, your brain fires out this electrical current even when you're sleeping. Soon after starting his research, Berger noticed that the electrical activity of brain waves correlated to a person's state of mind. Scientists attach electrodes in pairs on the head because they're measuring the difference in voltage between the pair. These electrodes are disks that conduct electrical activity, capture it from the brain and convey it out through a wire to a machine that amplifies the signal. The system involves hooking up several pairs of electrodes on a patient's head. In other words, you think 'lift,' and a virtual rock actually levitates on the screen. These brain waves can tell the system what you want to do in your virtual reality. The EPOC uses a headset that actually picks up on your brain waves. No, we're not referring to your beloved Atari Pong paddles - we're talking about your brain. But now, the Emotiv EPOC is taking the next radical step.įar from the complicated controllers of other systems, the controller the Emotiv EPOC uses is one you've been familiar with all your life. The Nintendo Wii, for instance, revolutionized the gaming industry with simple-looking joysticks that interpret movement. Developers are responding to the desire for a more intuitive interface to match the lifelike alternate reality. While in the past this has led to more complicated joystick controllers that look like they'd take a week to master, the tide is turning. Players want to be able to do more in their virtual worlds. Video game developers constantly strive to make their games more realistic, both in terms of visuals and (perhaps most importantly) game-player interaction.

Emotiv research edition