Singapore to Host Brain Based Computing Technologies

A convention for graphic designers is the last place you expect to find hot new technology showcasing how to manipulate a computer with only your mind. Yet, that is exactly what is going on right now in SIngapore at the SIGGRAPH conference hosted by A*STAR.

For those of you unfamiliar with A*STAR it is Singapore's lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research. A*STAR actively nurtures public sector research and development in Biomedical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering, with a particular focus on fields essential to Singapore's manufacturing industry and new growth industries. It oversees 22 research institutes, and supports extramural research with the universities and hospital research centres.

Some of the interestingly titled technologies that they are showing include:at the A*STAR exhibit, Dec. 11 to 13, at the SIGGRAPH conference include:

• Brain Control for Attention Training;

• Brain Explorer;

• DJ-SIM: DJ Simulation Game with a Remote Gesture Control Interaction Mechanism;

• Human Action Recognition Technology;

• Lightdraw: Human-Computer Interaction for Large Screens;

Why would you want to play a thought based game?

Well, besides the cool factor. and the ability to brag to your friends these technologies can help the handicapped.

Why did the developers make them?

"... our multi-disciplined researchers seek to develop use-inspired research that could enhance how we live; enrich our playing and learning; and more importantly, improve how we work. We look forward to some of these technologies becoming commercial applications in the near future," said Chong Tow Chong, Ph.D., Executive Director of A*STAR's Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC).

The products are out for licencing right now, so we may see them out for purchase pretty soon.

Before you ask me. No, they are not giving out a lot of details about how the technologies may be used in the near future.