In this demonstration, Tami Griffith of the U.S. Army Research Laboratory‘s Simulation & Training Technology Center, maneuvers through virtual space using a brain-computer interface and a head-mounted display. Tami is controlling the virtual world entirely through her own two headsets. What she is seeing in the head-mounted display is also projected on the screen to the left.
The brain-computer interface provides movement (forward, back, stop) while the head-mounted display injects directional information. As the user turns, direction is injected into the virtual environment. The brain-computer interface is wireless, while the head-mounted display is wired. The head-mounted display also provides 3D sound and a microphone. The total cost is $2,100.
The project is part of Tami’s exploration of ways to improve a user’s sense of presence using low-cost, off-the-shelf technology, with current emphasis on neural-navigation.