Whether you're in the mood for a film with a happy ending or feeling more like a Machiavellian finale, the MyndPlay media player delivers what you want ... by reading your mind. The system consists of an electroencephalograph (EEG) headset and accompanying software dreamed up by London-based former The Apprentice star Tre Azam.
MyndPlay's headset is made by brain wave sensor manufacturer NeuroSky, a pioneer in the no-hands gaming field, and measures the user's levels of focus and relaxation as they interact with movies as well as music, games and other apps that are included in the package. While watching a MyndPlay film, the scenes and narrative can change depending on how the viewer reacts to the story. For example, if a scary scene elicits a fearful reaction, it might cue the system to switch to an alternate ending in which the main character freezes up and meets an undesirable fate as a result.
Azam and MyndPlay's creators also tout the technology's potential as an educational and therapeutic tool. Because the system is able to measure feedback from the brain's responses to various stimuli, it can be used "to develop greater mental and emotional control," according to the company's website. Other applications are also envisioned in schools, corporate settings, sports training, mental health and advertising.
MyndPlay is available in a package with the NeuroSky wireless MindWave headset for £99.00 or with a soft, Bluetooth-enabled headband called the BrainBand designed to work with additional included sports training apps. The BrainBand option runs £129.00.
The catch with proprietary systems like MyndPlay, of course, is that there isn't a lot of ready-made films and other content out there that are setup to react to a person's brain waves. Azam says they've tried to address this by developing a platform to assist in the video production work of creating content for what he calls a "new genre" of film.
MyndPlay's player software and app platform are a free download for Mac or Windows. Apps for use with the platform and the hardware can also be purchased, with titles ranging from meditation practice to golf, as well as the small selection of short films with various alternate scenes that have been produced so far.
Fortunately, Gizmag's content is not yet MyndPlay compatible, so I only had to write this one ending for this story. For more, you can watch MyndPlay's promotional video below, also with only one ending.
Source: MyndPlay