One of the problems constantly cited by gamers in VR is those bulky goggles. Mark Zuckerberg’s team at Meta are working on a Neural Wristband that takes signals from your brain non-invasively. Or so it sounds.
Then there are utility advantages. While this kind of wristband would also be useful in VR, Zuckerberg has mostly talked about it being used with AR smart glasses. The big success, at least for the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses is that they’re sleek and lightweight – if you glance at them they’re not noticeably different to a regular pair of Ray-Bans.
Mark Zuckerberg says we’re ‘close’ to controlling our AR glasses with brain signals | TechRadar
These Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses directly address the goggle discomfort situation and having something on your wrist that can tap into brain signals sounds more than futuristic, but definitely better than having a surgical implant as mentioned in Paralyzed Man Plays Raiden V and other games With His Mind as Controller.
Elon Musk is working on an implant and like the goggles for VR, it’s likely not to appeal to a broad base of people. The possibility for the disabled is great, but could be less likely widely-opted to those because it requires surgery.
Speaking of glasses, and no surgery needed, a rumor is brewing that Meta is (not-so) secretly working on AR glasses and a demo could be out by the end of 2024.
The site claims that two anonymous insiders have revealed the AR team is being pushed to have its AR glasses — internally codenamed “Orion” — demoed during Meta’s annual Connect event. This typically takes place in the fall, with last year’s event falling at the end of September.
Forget Meta Quest 3 — Meta’s first true AR smart glasses reportedly launching this fall | Tom’s Guide (tomsguide.com)
Not mind blown yet? Try this:
Without speaking, typing or doing anything at all, the device is able to search the internet for the correct answer before feeding back the information via skull vibrations into the inner ear.
MIT student creates device that is able to search the entire internet using just his mind (unilad.com)
Am definitely interested in what this is about if/when it becomes a reality. Glasses to me lend themselves physically to a wider adoption than goggles.
But what about nothing worn on your head at all?
There is a race for creating technology that interfaces directly with the human brain. Gaming and other forms of entertainment are perhaps smaller intended uses for this tech.
Back to this Neural Wristband, which Zuckerberg suggests could be available within “a few years.”
Would you be interested in Meta’s EMG Wristband for use with VR/AR and gaming? As a controller, this approach appeals much more to me than goggles and/or anything that completely obscures vision.
Bob