NeuroSky

2010: The company has raised 11.8 million in its third round of venture funding.

2011: NeuroSky launches the MindWave, a headset catering directly to the consumer market.

2011: Neurowear demonstrates necomimi, a headband with motorized cat ears based on a MindWave headset.

Technical background

The human brain is made up of billions of interconnected neurons; the patterns of interaction between these neurons are represented as thoughts and emotional states. Every interaction between neurons creates a minuscule electrical discharge; alone these charges are impossible to measure from outside the skull. However, the activity created by hundreds of thousands concurrent discharges aggregates into waves which can be measured.

Different brain states are the result of different patterns of neural interaction. These patterns lead to waves characterized by different amplitudes and frequencies; for example waves between 12 and 30 hertz, Beta Waves, are associated with concentration while waves between 8 and 12 hertz, Alpha Waves, are associated with relaxation and a state of mental calm. The contraction of muscles is also associated with unique wave patterns, isolating these patterns is how some NeuroSky devices detect blinks.

All electrical activity produces these waves, including light bulbs, thus all electrical devices create some level of ambient "noise"; this "noise" interferes with the waves emanating from the brain, this is why most EEG devices will pick up readings even if they are not on a person's head. Measuring mental activity through these waves is like trying to eavesdrop on a conversation at a loud concert. In the past, EEG devices circumvented this problem by measuring these signals in environments where electrical activity is strictly controlled and increasing the signal strength of the data coming from the brain through the application of a conductive solution. However, most people don't have rooms in their house devoid of electronic devices nor do they want to apply a conductive liquid to their head every time they use a BCI device. NeuroSky has developed complex algorithms built into their products which filter out this "noise". NeuroSky's white paper claims the ThinkGear technology has been tested at 96% as accurate as that within research grade EEGs.

NeuroSky is also selling non-contact sensors to research institutions. These are dry electrodes that can measure brainwaves millimeters from the scalp and thus can easily be worn over hair. These sensors are a significant technological breakthrough in that they are the only non-contact EEG sensors ever developed.

Non-Contact Sensors:

NeuroSky is currently selling a Non-Contact system to research institutions. This system is based on seven dry electrodes that can measure brainwaves millimeters from the scalp and thus can easily be worn over hair. These sensors are a significant technological breakthrough in that they are the only non-contact EEG sensors ever developed.

These sensors have been effectively used with SSEVP (steady-state visually evoked potential) allowing a device incorporating them to tell which object, out of a set group of objects, the wearer is looking at.

NeuroSky has not released any consumer products using these sensors nor has it announced that it is intending to.

Pre MindKit: In early press releases at least four different pre-MindKit devices can be seen, none of these were sold to the public and none of the articles mention names for the models.

Products produced in conjunction with NeuroSky using NeuroSky technology

Mindflex: The MindFlex was produced in conjunction with Mattel and released for the 2009 Christmas season. It is a game in which players lift a ball by concentrating and move it through a maze. The concentration levels are measured by a headset using NeuroSky technology which wirelessly interfaces with a platform that floats the ball through the use of a fan which was moved around the course in a circle by a dial; (this platform was based on a previous Mattel toy, the "Harry Potter Sorcerer's Stone Electronic Levitating Challenge Board Game").The MindFlex allowed the player to modify the course by sticking plastic obstacles in peg holes at different locations and was preprogrammed with 5 games as well as multiplayer options. Mattel sold out its entire stock five weeks after launch.

Star Wars Force Trainer: The Star Wars Force Trainer was produced in conjunction with Uncle Milton inc. and released for the 2009 Christmas season (it was released for pre-sale midnight July 23, 2009). It is a game in which players lift a ball by concentrating. The ball is levitated by a fan and concentration is measured using NeuroSky technology. The ball is designed to look like the ball Luke trained with to learn how to control the Force in the first Star Wars.

MindRDR: MindRDR is a Google Glass application created by This Place that connects a Neurosky MindWave sensor to Google Glass to allow concentration and relaxation outputs from the biosensor to take and share photos on Twitter and Facebook without physical or verbal interaction. MindRDR was released in July 2014.