Just as the Wii was getting gamers off the couch and physically involved in the game, the Brain Wave, an EEG game reported earlier, actually encourages sleepiness and relaxation. Apparently, the more relaxed and drowsy you are, the more theta and aplha waves you produce and the better your chances for success. The game is now getting its own championship competition:
Mindball is a game in which two players compete to push a ball over the other’s goal line. But there’s a catch–this is a game of mind over matter and the way to win is to relax. You can watch a video (WMV format 1.8MB) of a Mindball game in action here.
Each player is wired up to an electroencephalogram (EEG) machine which records the electrical activity in the brain. Certain frequencies of signal are associated with different mental activities–for example, gamma waves with a frequency above 26 Hz are associated with higher mental activities such as problem solving.
To win at Mindball, however, you need to produce theta waves (4-8 Hz) which are associated with drowsiness and alpha waves (8-12 Hz) which are associated with being relaxed. So the more relaxed you are, the better you’re going to be at this game.
If that sounds like you, the championship is being held at The Science Museum in London between 12pm and 3pm on 28th and 29th December. The winner, says the museum, will be crowned Britain’s Most Relaxed Mind. Entry is free.
To win at Mindball, however, you need to produce theta waves (4-8 Hz) which are associated with drowsiness and alpha waves (8-12 Hz) which are associated with being relaxed. So the more relaxed you are, the better you’re going to be at this game.Full article and video at New Scientist Technology Blog . . .
(hat tip: /.)