VR And AR Powered By Brain? Michigan University Startup Working On Going 'Beyond Virtual Reality'

Ever thought if you could control devices with just your thoughts? Neurable, a startup run by Michigan University students, is working on it.

Neurable says on its website that its vision is to go "beyond virtual reality."

“Neurable’s brain-computer interface uses electroencephalography to record brain activity, analyze data and provide users with full three-dimensional control in real time. Our technology has enabled people to play games, control toys and drive a full-sized car using only their thoughts," according to the startup.

The idea is to control physical objects through augmented reality and virtual reality using brain activity. Sounds crazy? It isn’t, according to the team behind the technology’s development. Ramses Alcaide, the company’s CEO and president, told TechCrunch: “Our vision is to make this the standard human interaction platform for any hardware or software device, so, people can walk into their homes or their offices and take control of their devices using a combination of their augmented reality systems and their brain activity.”

Neurable is, in layman’s terms, using an existing method to monitor your brain activity and then, making use of it to control devices.

The company uses Electroencephalography (EEG), which is similar to an electrocardiogram, or ECG. In ECG, your heart activity is measured, while in EEG, the same happens for your brain activity. Once the brain activity is measured, the data is analyzed and three-dimensional user control is created based on the data and thus, you end up controlling devices and software using just your brain. This will definitely make for more engaging and less artificial AR and VR, when the technology arrives to AR and VR headsets.

Neurable claims that its API (application programming interface) supports AR and VR headsets from all manufacturers. For gamers — the core audience of VR — Neurable’s software will respond to the player’s emotions and stresses in real time.

Neurable’s technology is not expected to stay in the concept stage for long as the company has already secured $2 million seed funding from the angel investor BOSS Syndicate.