Samsung has implemented tons of software features in the Galaxy S4 and most of them revolve around controlling your device without touching it. You can hover above your phone with AirView and AirGesture while other features such as Smat Scroll, Smart Stay, and Smart Pause let your eyes interact with your device. But how about mind control?
Samsung doesn’t want to stop finding new ways to interact with a gadget, and their latest idea is through “mind control”. Samsung is not the only one who want to shy away from touching the devices though. Apple recommends you to talk to your phone with Siri while Google wants us to use their innovative Google Glass. It seems like every company is working hard to bring a plethora of ways to be intimate with our gadgets. Indeed, the ultimate for this project as per Emerging Technology Lab, is to “broaden the ways in which all people can interact with devices”.
Imagine reading and sending a text message or email without touching your phone, or even without pulling it out of your bag?
But in case you’re a fan of X-Men or you’ve been watching Sci-Fi movies lately, I believe you have encountered something like mind control which is also known as Telekinesis. Samsung hopes that someday they could take this idea out of their labs and make it mainstream in the mobile technology scene. The thought of it makes me drool on the possibilities that could bring it to the users. A revamped gaming experience that will remove all the hassle brought by controllers that don’t usually respond enough which makes you lose a game? How cool is that?
Samsung is apparently working with Roozbeh Jafari and the people from University of Texas to envision the combination of EEG caps and mobile technology. Most of us will think that it’s a long shot but they are actually in the right direction by now as they have some advancements already. Samsung researchers are now testing some features that include launching an app, selecting a song, selecting a contact, and power up/down of the Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1. In fact, they now have a video of that which you can find on the source link below.
Of course, the idea looks solid, but how about implementation?
[three_fifth]For now, it looks far from being able to be used on a mobile device as it requires an EGG cap which doesn’t really look that attractive at all, unless you want to wear a superhero costume from time to time.[/three_fifth]
It’s bulky and it’s not something that you would like to bring with you in your everyday life. The accuracy rate is currently at 80-95 percent which means it’s somehow even more accurate than voice recognition softwares out there. And when Samsung finds an efficient way to eliminate the major setback, we could probably see a Samsung smartphone and tablet with mind control feature soon.
In its current state, the mind controlled Samsung device is definitely not yet ready for prime time but we’re hoping that the development would go well. This technology isn’t exactly a sure hit for Samsung, but I’m sure that it will be welcomed positively considering the endless possibilities that it would bring to the table. No, it’s not gimmicky. If you think it is, you have a limited imagination.
How about you? Do you like to own a smartphone and tablet controlled by your brain? Let us know what you think!
[Source: MIT Technology Review]