For the last few years, Puzzlebox has been publishing open source
software and hacking guides that walk makers through the modification of
RC helicopters so that they can be flown and controlled using just the
power of the mind. Full systems have also been custom built to introduce
youngsters to brain-computer interfaces and neuroscience. The group is
about to take the project to the next stage by making a Puzzlebox Orbit
brain-controlled helicopter available to the public, while encouraging
user experimentation by making all the code, schematics, 3D models,
build guides and other documentation freely available under an
open-source license.
Puzzlebox was founded in 2004 and has been actively working on
Brain-Computer Interface technology since 2009. It marks CTO Steve
Castellotti's second startup, following an interactive advertising
company based in New Zealand called Eyemagnet that's still active and
growing. His business partner and head of engineering is Hao Zhang, who
is currently in China overseeing the manufacturing process. The pair
have previously collaborated on a brain-controlled wheelchair.
The actual helicopter being sold as part of the Puzzlebox Orbit
package may look somewhat familiar to Gizmag regulars. The protective
outer sphere that prevents the rotor blades from impacting with walls,
furniture, floor and ceiling is very similar in design to the
Kyosho Space Ball we covered last month. It's not the same craft though, and the ability to control it with the mind is not the only difference.
"There's a ring around the top and bottom of the Space Ball which
isn't present on the Puzzlebox Orbit," Castellotti told us. "The casing
around their server motor looks quite different, too. The horizontal
ring at-mid level is more rounded on the Orbit, and vertically it is
more squat. We're also selling the Puzzlebox Orbit in the U.S. for US$89
(including shipping), versus their $117 (plus shipping)."
Two versions of the Puzzlebox Orbit system are being offered to the
public. The first is designed for use with mobile devices like tablets
and smartphones. A NeuroSky MindWave Mobile EEG headset communicates
with the device via Bluetooth. Proprietary software then analyzes the
brainwave data in real time and translates the input as command signals,
which are sent to the helicopter via an IR adapter plugged into the
device's audio jack.
This system isn't quite ready for all mobile operating platforms,
though. The team is "happy on Android but don't have access to a wide
variety of hardware for testing," confirmed Castellotti, adding "Some
tuning after release is expected. We'll have open source code available
to iOS developers and will have initiated the App Store evaluation
process if it's not already been approved."
The second offering comes with a Puzzlebox Pyramid, which was
developed completely in-house and has a dual role as a home base for the
Orbit helicopter and a remote control unit. At its heart is a
programmable micro-controller that's compatible with Arduino boards. On
one face of the pyramid there's a broken circle of multi-colored LED
lights in a clock face configuration. These are used to indicate levels
of concentration, mental relaxation, and the quality of the EEG signal
from a
NeuroSky MindWave EEG headset (which wirelessly communicates with a USB dongle plugged into the rear of the pyramid).
Twelve infrared LEDs to the top of each face actually control the
Orbit helicopter, and with some inventive tweaking, these can also be
used to control other IR toys and devices (including TVs).
In either case, a targeted mental state can be assigned to a helicopter control or flight path (such as
hover in place or
fly in a straight line)
and actioned whenever that state is detected and maintained. Estimated
Orbit flight time is around eight minutes (or more), after which the
user will need to recharge the unit for 30 minutes before the next
take-off.
At the time of writing, a crowd-funding campaign on Kickstarter to
take the prototype system into mass production has attracted almost
three times its target. The Puzzlebox team has already secured enough
hardware and materials to start shipping the first wave of Orbits next
month. International backers will get their hands on the system early
next year.
The brain-controlled helicopter is only a part of the package,
however. The development team has promised to release the source code
for the Linux/Mac/PC software and mobile apps, all protocols, and
available hardware schematics under open-source licenses. Step-by-step
how-to guides are also in the pipeline (like the one already on the
Instructables website), together with educational aids detailing how everything works.
"We have prepared contributor tools for Orbit, including a wiki,
source code browser, and ticket tracking system," said Castellotti. "We
are already using these tools internally to build the project. Access to
these will be granted when the Kickstarter campaign closes."
"We would really like to underline that we are producing more than
just a brain-controlled helicopter," he stressed. "The toy and concept
is fun and certainly the main draw, but the true purpose lies in the
open code and hacking guides. We don't want to be the holiday toy that
gets played with for ten minutes then sits forever in the corner or on a
shelf. We want owners to be able to use the Orbit to experiment with
biofeedback – practicing how to concentrate better or to unwind and
relax with this physical and visual aid."
"And when curiosity kicks in and they start to wonder how it actually
works, all of the information is published freely. That's how we hope
to share knowledge and foster a community. For example, a motivated
experimenter should be able to start with the hardware we provide, and
using our tools and guides learn how to hack support for driving a
remote controlled car or causing a television to change channels when
attention levels are measured as being low for too long a period of
time. Such advancements could then be contributed back to the rest of
our users."
The Kickstarter campaign will close on December 8, after which the
team will concentrate its efforts on getting Orbit systems delivered to
backers and ensure that all the background and support documentation is
in place. If all goes according to plan, a retail launch could follow as
soon as Q1 2013.
It is hoped that the consumer Puzzlebox Orbit mobile/tablet edition
with the NeuroSky headset will remain under US$200, followed by the
Pyramid version at an as-yet undisclosed price.
Source:
Puzzlebox Brainstorms,
Kickstarter page
The following Kickstarter pitch video shows the Puzzlebox Orbit in action and outlines the team's plans for the future.
