While it will interesting to see what George Lucas has to say about Jedi Mind Inc.'s use of the word "Jedi," the company is currently working on a PC "peripheral" that integrates its thought-controlled software with a special brain-reading headset designed by Emotiv. According to a recent press release, Jedi Mind is ahead of schedule and plans to release the PC peripheral--called the Jedi Mouse--in Q1 2010.
"The Jedi Mouse allows the user to navigate the computer, open programs and send email with the power of their mind," the company explained. "The application launches a virtual keyboard once an email program is launched and provides the user the ability to compose a written correspondence and press send with the power of their mind."
The technology behind the Jedi Mouse is about as elusive as a Dark Jedi--although most likely just based on sensing brain electrical impulses. While it's unclear how the "mouse" aspect comes into play in other applications, it's assumed that the peripheral doesn't actually use a physical mouse, but creates a virtual mouse controlled by the user. The company recently launched a tech demo of the software called Think-Tac-Toe that requires the user to move a virtual target to a specific area.
Jedi Mind did not offer pricing for its upcoming thought-controlled mouse. However, Emotiv sells the actual headset (EPOC) for a surprising low cost of $299.00. There are various applications that take advantage of the technology including games and virtual worlds, a photo viewer, and more.
