'Use the Force, Nigel' - Star Wars gaming via thought waves?

[jp-30]

(Reposted from mixnmojo.com)

Theforce.net reports on forthcoming plans to shop a gaming concept to LucasFilm whereby the game input is controlled via brainwaves.

Steven Barnes: "there is a project that I am working on that would... control the video game with your feelings, instead of with a joystick, literally use the force to control the game ... you would attach sensors to your body and use your feelings to control the game ... I'm part of a project to work with this right now I can't tell you anymore about it but we hopefully will be presenting this to Lucasfilm within a month or so and if this happens we'll probably be announcing it at the Indiana meeting next year [Celebration?] But I don't know if this will happen but I have been telling these people that with their technology with what I know about storytelling that it could be done and that the Star Wars fan would support it if it works"

For all the details, the original source, audio of the interview and info on Steven Barnes, visit the links provided at theforce.net. Further info on the state of harnessing neural waves to control applications can be read here.

Am I the only person envisaging implant chips in gamer's skulls, and Star Wars: Yoda's Force Lift Challenge at the next E3?

[Jayel]

I don't want nobody crack open my skull and put some junk in my brains that will be outdated in 3 years!!!

Force Lift Challenge sounds like such an intriguing game though.

[Ries Hatton]

My sister worked for Stage3 when she was at CMU, I believe, and someone - I don't remember if they were in the Building Virtual Worlds course or worked for Stage3 or who they were - but someone was trying to somehow make someone actually 'scared' in a virtual reality setting. The wearer of the headset would be atop a building, if I remember correctly, and somehow the user would actually become scared, despite them knowing it is simply virtual reality. I don't think a chip in the head is gonna be necessary.