Mind-controlled video games are becoming a reality. NeuroSky Inc., maker of “wearable” consumer bio-sensors for various applications, announced today that it would unveil a brainwave-controlled video game at the Tokyo Game Show 2008 in Makuhari, Japan on October 9th and 10th. The game is being jointly developed with Square Enix, creators of the popular Final Fantasy series.

The game will initially operate on Windows PC machines in conjunction with a NeuroSky commercial headset called the MindSet. The MindSet is capable of interfacing with various gaming platforms including PC, console, and mobile. The MindSet is fashioned like a regular headset, except for a single electrode which contacts the wearer’s forehead and reads brainwave information, or EEG data. The headset will sense relaxation or concentration states of the player, allowing them to perform various actions in the game as a result.

Ryutaro Ichimura, Producer at Square Enix said, “At Square Enix, we are actively involved in developing a variety of gaming interfaces. I am thrilled to have this opportunity to work with NeuroSky, and apply their advanced sensor technology in this brain-wave controlled game demonstration. Although the main purpose of the demo is to test the results of our short development period, I hope it also unlocks new potentials in gaming.”

The CEO of NeuroSky, Stanley Yang, believes that brainwave-reading technology (EEG) will rapidly emerge in the video game industry as an alternative to traditional controllers.

Nintendo and Wii fanboys beware.

Engineers at Boston University are developing the next generation of wireless communications technology – LED lights. Information will be transmitted through visible light rather than radio waves. This “Smart Lighting” will use low power light emitting diodes, or LEDs, to deliver faster, more secure data communications wirelessly.

Essentialy, these LED lights would become the equivalent of a Wi-Fi access point.

BU Engineering Professor Thomas Little commented: “Imagine if your computer, iPhone, TV, radio and thermostat could all communicate with you when you walked in a room just by flipping the wall light switch and without the usual cluster of wires. This could be done with an LED-based communications network that also provides light - all over existing power lines with low power consumption, high reliability and no electromagnetic interference. Ultimately, the system is expected to be applicable from existing illumination devices, like swapping light bulbs for LEDs.”

With properly placed LED lighting, a wireless device in sight of the data-filled light would have access to the internet and network. Initial speeds of 1 to 10 megabit per second is expected. Furthermore, because light is unable to travel through solid walls, the data is less prone to “eavesdropping.” Less energy is also consumed by this method as opposed to traditional radio wave technology.

The core of this novel idea relies on the flickering of lights so rapid that it is unnoticable to the human eye. The flickering of light in different patterns would mean different signals, enabling data to be transmitted without noticeable change in room lighting.

Professor Little hopes to bring the technology outdoors to automobiles, in which brake lights of vehicles in front of a driver can be detected and warns the rear vehicle’s driver instanteously or even actively assisting in the braking.

The Wall Street Journal has confirmed that Advanced Micro Systems is announcing a plan to cut costs by spinning off its manufacturing operations to a new joint venture.

The new venture, which includes funding provided by investment entites associated with the government of Abu Dhabi, will make chips for AMD and also other companies. Major AMD factories in Germany will be taken over and some of the company’s debts will be assumed by these new investment entities.

The venture is expected to control about $5 billion worth of AMD’s assets as AMD continues to struggle with heavy losses and major debt, a result from its drawn out battle with Intel Corp and the $5.4 billion acquisition of ATI Technologies.

AMD had previously expressed its intent to completely restructure the company, drawing much rumor about potential breakup over the course of the last several months.

This new production process will be similar to outsourcing, in which other companies known as foundries will be operating AMD’s chip manufacturing services.

IBM, a long time partner of AMD, has expressed that they will continue to cooperate with the chip company and will support its decision for the new venture.

Ford announced today a new technology called MyKey in which car owners will be able to control their vehicle’s speed, stereo volume, and seatbelt warning functions. MyKey will be standard on the 2010 Ford Focus Coupe and eventually be incorporated into the rest of the company’s lineup.

The technology is essentially aimed for parents wanting to control their children’s driving habits. Three things can be done with MyKey: limit a vehicle’s top speed to 80 miles per hour, set a stereo’s max volume to 44% of its normal limit, and set a sustaining warning chime if seat belts are not fastened.

According to a Ford survey, 67% of teenagers polled did not approve of the idea, although it dropped to 36% disapproval if the MyKey system led parents to allowing their kids to use the car more often.

MyKey uses some existing technology from Ford, particularly the SecuriLock anti-theft feature, to identify which keys are in the ignition and in turn letting the vehicle know which driving mode to engage.

Other MyKey features include setting warning sounds when the car approaches 45, 55, or 65 mph, and enabling a permanent traction control system. Ford is confident that this system will make their Ford Focus Coupe
a popular choice amongst parents with teenage drivers, at least until competitor companies start implementing the same idea.

LCD technology is advancing so quickly that the images being displayed are becoming 3D. KDDI Corporation has been showing off a new prototype version on a small scale — for mobile phones. Both images and videos will be displayed in a three dimensional view using two merged LCD screens.

Obviously the screenshots here are hard to convey the 3D effect but the method involves displaying two images, projected and interlaced by two separate LCD screens laid together. One displays the image for the left eye, while the other displays a variation of the image for the right eye. Although the variation is very subtle, these stereoscopic LCD displays trick the eye into seeing a three dimensional image.

KDDI has been demonstrating a prototype with a resolution of 480 x 800 pixels with both still images and moving video displayed in 3D. No word when an actual phone using such a technology will be available to the public.

Russian billionaire and Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich plans on building an armor-plated, bulletproof-glass-installed super yacht complete with anti-missile radar systems, a private submarine, and two helicopters for more than 200 million euros, or almost $300 million.

With his personal fortune of 16 billion dollars, the tycoon plans on constructing an impenetrable floating fortress with a full defense system against sea pirates. Pirates are becoming more common in the waters around Africa; should Abramovich decide to sail to the 2010 World Cup in Africa, he will be ready to defend. Over 269 vessels were attacked and 300 hostages taken last year by pirates according to the International Maritime Bureau.

Under maritime law, non military ships are forbidden from carrying lethal weapons and firearms. Yacht owners are more commonly equipping their vessels with high powered water cannons, ear-splitting klaxons, and lubricant foam to deter walking.

It’s no wonder that Abramovich’s new ship, called the Eclipse, will include a radar system to warn the crew of 70 former SAS members of incoming rockets. Armored plating and bulletproof glass make the ship hardened against gun fire. There are also two helipads and equipment to deter bugging.

Should intruders make it on board the ship, Abramovich can escape with his 26 year old girlfriend Daria Zhukova in a yellow submarine which can dive to 160 feet.

The Eclipse — overshadowing all other boats at sea – stretches 550 feet and is being secretly built in Germany at the same shipyard that produced the World War II battleship the Bismarck. Abramovich will be adding this new boat to his existing collection of the 377 feet Pelorus, 282 feet Ecstasea, and 160 feet Sussurro.

The mega yacht will also have cabins for 24 guests as well as a movie theater, aquariam, disco, and hospital.

New speculation arises about the Apple “Brick” — it is an advanced manufacturing process where computers will be cut directly from a solid block of aluminum.

Apple is known for two things: secrecy and innovation. Both comes into play certainly when talking about the new Apple product codenamed “Brick.” Although Apple just recently lifted its non-disclosure agreements to further iPhone application development, the company remains on the hush when it comes to the “Brick.”

Much speculation has come to this mysterious product. Some believe it is simply a new Mac Mini redesign while some say it is the fabled touchscreen Tablet Mac notebook computer.

However, a new rumor has emerged admist all the talk. According to 9to5Mac Apple has spent the last several years perfecting a new manufacturing process that uses lasers and high speed jets of water to carve MacBooks out of bricks of high-quality, aircraft grade aluminum. Advantages would include stronger and lighter design, elimination of screws and seams, and more room for creativity.

Although this claim seems pretty far-fetched, you never know with Apple and 9to5Mac claims to have a very good track record. The “Brick” will be revealed on October 14, so we will see how accurate this rumor is.