HIMEJI, Japan -- Something spooky's afoot. Lights turn on without warning. The TV flashes channels at random. But there are no poltergeists here. A scientist-entrepreneur decked out in pink goggles is controlling everything--apparently with his brain waves.
Hidenori Onishi is using a device that senses brain wave patterns and converts them into signals used to operate electrical appliances. The device looks like a pair of ski goggles--it holds electrodes to the head, attached to a laptop-sized computer. It is called the Mind Control Tool Operating System, or MCTOS.
"The system requires no training by the user, because the brain waves the machine responds to are emitted simply by exercising the will," Onishi said. Any strong mental affirmation sends out a brain signal that the electrodes apparently intercept and feed to the computer. The computer then activates the appropriate appliance.
An AP reporter who tested the system easily mastered simple tasks like turning on lights. More demanding activities such as channel surfing took a bit of extra thought, however.