Mind Games at CES
The Consumer Electronics Show is now in full swing, and we've been pacing the halls to see what gadgets, brands and trends are likely to be big for 2009. It's no mean feat - after five hours of walking, we'd barely scratched the surface of what is a truly phenomenal convention.
It was at the very end of the opening day that we spotted this unusual - and mind-blowing - game from Mattel. Mind Flex is at first glance something akin to the classic game Screwball Scramble, featuring a tiny ball that must be navigated around an assault course. The difference? Yep, with Mind Flex, you move the ball purely with the *power of thought*.
Sounds crazy? Well, the technology isn't actually all that new. It's electroencephalography (or EEG, which is the measurement of the brain's electrical activity), which has been used for years in research such as sleep studies. In Mind Flex, you don a headset fitted with electrodes - the more electrical impulses created by your brain (or simple, the harder you concentrate) the more power is provided to a small fan beneath the ball. You think harder, the fan goes faster, and the ball rises - giving the illusion that you're levitating it with your mind power.
The Beam Team were in turns confused, sceptical and desperate to give it a try. New recruit Jeff was annoyingly good, donning the headset and giving a faultless performance around the course. Impressed? We were. Not only with Mind Flex, but with the fact that Jeff's brain wasn't completely broken after a whole day at the convention centre.
Keep an eye out for this one - it'll keep the kids captivated (and quiet) when it hits the UK.