Puzzlebox Brainstorms

Puzzlebox Orbit: Brain-Controlled Helicopter

We are pleased to announce the Puzzlebox Orbit, a brain-controlled helicopter now available on Kickstarter.

Puzzlebox Orbit

For the past two years we have been publishing Open Source software and how-to building guides for hacking RC helicopters with Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) control using NeuroSky and Emotiv EEG headsets. Now we're finally making a finished product available to the public, while still freely releasing all source code, available hardware schematics, 3D models, and so on. The goal is to provide a fun toy as well as an educational introduction to BCI and neuroscience.

For more details and to help support this effort, please visit our Kickstarter.

Press: Electronics News (Australia)

Electronics News in Australia has just published an article featuring Puzzlebox and our recent plans for expanding our mind-controlled robotic wheelchair project.

Puzzlebox to be featured on NOVA: Science NOW

Puzzlebox technology will be featured on an upcoming episode of NOVA: Science NOW as part of a segment on Emotiv. Examples of our Open Source Brain-Controlled Helicopter and LEGO Mindstorms initiatives will be on display.

The expected air date is November 14th, Wednesday at 10 pm EST.

Puzzlebox Glass Goggles

Puzzlebox wishes to propose a new concept interface for Augmented Reality systems such as Google's Project Glass:

Youtube: Puzzlebox Glass Goggles Demonstration

Our demonstration features an Android application which uses a reverse-engineered version of Google's "Goggles" API (which technically has not yet been made available to the public) to perform an image-recognition search on photos captured automatically whenever a user's level of interest or focus is detected above a personalized threshold - as detected by a single-sensor EEG electrode located on the temple alongside the heads-up display (HUD).

In this way the system can provide ambient information specifically related to objects and locations which have attracted the user's attention.

Finalist for Jack Daniel's Independence Project

Puzzlebox is pleased to announce that our submission to Instructables.com's Jack Daniels Independence Project has been selected as a Finalist.

If awarded the $25,000 Grand Prize we will use it to build an Open Source hybrid wheelchair and telepresense robot which can be navigated using Augmented Reality and P300-based EEG detections.

Above: Example process for retrieving a drink via P300 and Augmented Reality

Our project plan is explained in more detail on the submission page and summarized in this 60-second video:

Youtube: Independence Project - Submission Video

Puzzlebox Pyrokinesis 2.0

Puzzlebox has completed an update to last year's Pyrokinesis art installation. This new version of brain-controlled pyrotechnics has been redesigned to be easily portable and relies on simple Android and Arduino hardware to operate a servo motor connected to what is essentially an over-sized Bunsen burner. Unfortunately we will not be releasing open documentation or software for this particular project due to the implicit risk of working with open flames, but we are pleased to offer live demonstrations where and when appropriate and safe.

Puzzlebox Pyrokinesis 2.0

Puzzlebox Pyrokinesis

Puzzlebox would like to thank members of the Flaming Lotus Girls (FLG) for the opportunity to integrate brainwave control of flame effects during a portion of the premiere of Tympani Lambada, their latest fire sculpture.

Puzzlebox Pyrokinesis is a specialized version of Puzzlebox Brainstorms which issues RS-485 control commands to individual solenoid-based poofers. A "poofer" collects, releases, and combusts gaseous fuel. Poofers are located at 14 points along each of the two archs found on the sculpture. Either arch can be controlled individually to produce various effects whose intensity increases proportionately to a user's mental state of concentration and/or meditation, as measured by a NeuroSky MindWave EEG headset.

For example, the "bridge" effect starts at one end of an arch and every few seconds a number of poofers are activated, corresponding to user's focus. As higher levels of attention are maintained that number increases until fireballs are produced across the entire arch. Likewise the "center" effect starts at the middle of an arch and proceeds outward in both directions based on realtime measurements. Alternatively, any individual poofer's solenoid can be activated manually for testing purposes.

More information about the elegant design and masterful engineering, building, and installation of Tympani Lambada can be found on their kickstarter page. If you would like to support their ongoing and future efforts please donate to FLG!

Puzzlebox Receives Guinness World Record

On March 17, 2011, software engineered by Puzzlebox was successfully used to establish a new Guinness World Record during a filming of the season finale of UK's The Gadget Show. In association with our partners at NeuroSky, MindWave EEG headsets were employed by the hosts of the show to control a crane weighing over 60 tons, picking up and maneuvering a car across a warehouse, all using the power of their minds.

The software was custom-designed for the occasion, working in coordination with an engineering team from Loughborough University to manipulate the crane's controls, based on the levels of concentration and focus of the hosts' brainwaves.

More information about the solution is available in this PDF

Readers in the UK can view the complete television episode which aired April 12, 2011 online here

And finally here is NeuroSky's own press release

Puzzlebox Brainstorms featured in Wired Magazine

Puzzlebox is pleased to announce that the recent Instructables write-up of our Brain-Controlled RC Helicopter project was featured in the April 2011 issue of Wired Magazine, as the final entry in an article entitled "Your Guide to 21 Awesome DIY Projects"

Wired Magazine, April 2011

Puzzlebox Brainstorms 0.6.0 Released

Puzzlebox has released an update to "Puzzlebox Brainstorms" which allows for BCI (Brain-Computer Interface) control of robotic vehicles, radio controlled helicopters, and electric wheelchairs through commercially available consumer EEG headsets such as the NeuroSky MindWave, NeuroSky MindSet and Emotiv EPOC.

New Features include:

- Support for iRobot Roomba and iRobot Create robots from iRobot
- Support for selecting movement directions via EMG-based "Blink Detection"

Puzzlebox Brainstorms 0.6.0 - iRobot support and Blink Detection

Many thanks to Matthew Boggan from University of California, Berkeley for his contribution to iRobot support

Puzzlebox Brainstorms is Seeking Schools for 2011-2012

Puzzlebox Brainstorms is eager to continue expanding our program to new schools, teachers, and parents. We have recently visited the campuses of Hilltop Prep and Octorara High School, featuring brief lessons in neuroscience and the history and current state of the art in Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) and sharing some of our technologies which incorporate attention and focus exercises to drive robots, fly helicopters, and play video games.

If you or someone you know would be interested to participate please do not hesitate to contact us.

Brainstorms at Hilltop Prep
Hilltop Prep is a co-educational day school which serves bright students with learning disabilities in grades five through twelve, offering an individually structured, rigorous curriculum that is complemented by a dynamic counseling support and mentoring program.

Brainstorms at Octorara High School
Octorara High School has approximate 900 students in grades nine through twelve. Their mission states: "We will consistently strive to provide a relevant and rigorous academic program that promotes critical thinking skills and the essential character traits necessary for each student to be successful in life after graduation."

Puzzlebox at GDC 2011

Puzzlebox has announced the debut of our new product Puzzlebox Jigsaw which we are demoing all this week at GDC 2011, the Game Developers Conference at the Moscone Center in downtown San Francisco. Please feel free to visit us at Booth #2021.

Many thanks to NeuroSky for contributing space for our demonstrations.

Instructables Awards

Puzzlebox Brainstorms is pleased to announce First Place awards in the both the Instructables Humana and Instructables Epilog Challenge contests for our Brain-Controlled Wheelchair project.

Press: NBC 10 Philadelphia - The Teacher Says

NBC's local news affiliate in Philadelphia visited the Rosemont school last week to interview the students and teachers who have been using Puzzlebox Brainstorms in their classroom since this past September.

Media: NBC 10 Philadelphia - The Teacher Says

We are currently seeking additional schools and facilities which may be interested in collaboration and expanding the program.

Hacking Guide and Video Walkthrough: Brain-Controll RC Helicopter

Along with support for Electric Wheelchairs, the latest release of Puzzlebox Brainstorms has added support for flying Radio Controlled helicopters with the mind, as documented in this new write-up for Instructables.com:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Brain-C ... elicopter/

Included is a video walkthrough which step-by-step demonstrates the complete hacking process from unboxing through to final takeoff using high-speed video playback:

Puzzlebox Brainstorms - Radio Controlled Helicopter

A special thanks to Miloh Alexander and the rest of the crew at the Noisebridge hackerspace in San Francisco who helped with this project.

Press: Rosemont School Students Demonstrate Cutting-Edge Technology...

Rosemont School students demonstrate cutting-edge technology by controlling robots with brain waves

By Halimah Barnett

Rosemont School of the Holy Child middle-school students are making big waves with the computer software they use to energize robots.

“What we do is we take EEG headsets, and we run software which allows us to control devices like LEGOs, helicopters, wheelchairs and so on using our minds,” said Castellotti. “I used to work at the Rosemont School when I was in college and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to bring something to the kids they would enjoy that would help them learn a little bit about science, neuroscience, biology and physics.”

The students sit in front of a computer screen running the data-collection program. They put on the headsets that transmit brain waves through the computer. Their signal strength and concentration level directly correspond to the motion to the robots.

...

The robot experiments are linked to the unit on electromagnetic waves the sixth-graders are studying in science class.

“Our unit has been on sound and light and we started this program looking at the waves and our brain waves but it has morphed into them learning to collect data and focus their attention on being able to move robots, which connects to our robotics program. It is a great overlap between the two programs,” said Rosemont School science teacher Karen Grossman.

“The students have just taken to it amazingly. They love it and they have a great time doing it,” she added.

Link to the complete article at Main Line Media News

ABC Action News Philadelphia
ABC's Action News Philadelphia was there to cover Puzzlebox Brainstorm's presentation of our new Radio Controlled Helicopter support at the Rosemont School in Montgomery County

Puzzlebox Brainstorms - ABC Action News Philadelphia

Vote for Puzzlebox Brainstorms: Electric Wheelchair
The latest release of Puzzlebox Brainstorms has added support for the Action Arrow Storm series of electric wheelchairs as documented in this write-up for Instructables.com in coordination with Jake "jerky" Walters and the rest of the crew at the Noisebridge hackerspace in San Francisco.

Our entry has already been featured on Hackaday.com and is now in the running for first place in the Humana Health Challenge.

Any support from our user community would be appreciated during the voting round of the contest.

In the meantime, a video is available in which a volunteer demonstrates the new support for Wheelchair control through Puzzlebox Brainstorms 0.4.5 by driving one around the city streets of San Franciso's "The Mission" district:

Puzzlebox Brainstorms - Wheelchair Control

Puzzlebox Brainstorms version 0.4.5 released
Puzzlebox has released an update to "Puzzlebox Brainstorms" which allows for BCI (Brain-Computer Interface) control of robotic vehicles, radio controlled helicopters, and wheelchairs through commercially available consumer EEG headsets such as the NeuroSky MindSet and Emotiv EPOC.

Features include:

- Support for radio controlled helicopters which support the Spektrum DSM2 protocol
- Support for electric wheelchair control for the Action Arrow Storm series
- Custom messages can be sent to LEGO Mindstorms to interface with programs written using "NXT-G" the standard development environment supplied by LEGO.
- Ability to send bug reports and feature requests directly to Puzzlebox via interface
- New tab-based interface for new vehicle and device support

Puzzlebox Brainstorms 0.4.5 - LEGO Mindstorms

Puzzlebox Brainstorms 0.4.5 - RC Helicopter

Puzzlebox Brainstorms 0.4.5 - Wheelchair

Puzzlebox Brainstorms 0.4.5 - Control Panel

Video: The Thinking Caps Featured on Local Television
The Thinking Caps, the First LEGO League competitors from the Blue Ridge area of Virginia were recently featured on a live broadcast by their local television station for their success in competition and use of Puzzlebox Brainstorms:

We are told that some technical difficulties were experienced due to their laptop going to sleep, but we're not taking any chances -- the next version of Puzzlebox Brainstorms includes a new, built-in bug reporting and feature-request mechanism. In the meantime please help out our community by submitting any issues to contact@puzzlebox.info.

Puzzlebox Synapse version 0.4.2 released
Puzzlebox has released an update to "Puzzlebox Synapse" which connects to commercially available consumer EEG headsets such as the NeuroSky MindSet, displays live data back to the user, and relays the data collected over a network or the internet.

Features include:

- Save all data recorded for a given session (including raw EEG) to a file for external processing
- Export all data recorded for a given session to CSV for loading into a spreadsheet such as Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice.org Calc
- Export all data recorded for a given session to a text file

Video: The Thinking Caps' 2010 First LEGO League Presentation
The First LEGO League (FLL) is a "robotics program for 9 to 16 year olds, which is designed to get children excited about science and technology -- and teach them valuable employment and life skills." Teams of children led by teachers, parents and mentors build robotic machines based around themes and goals which change on a yearly basis, competing at an international level.

One team based in Virgina called the Thinking Caps has produced a terrific video submission for this year's "Body Forward" theme of biomedical engineering using Puzzlebox Brainstorms and a NeuroSky MindSet EEG headset.

We love to see great projects like this and wish the Thinking Caps the best of luck in their upcoming competition!

BCI in Education: Puzzlebox Brainstorms @ The Rosemont School
In September 2010 Puzzlebox visited The Rosemont School located near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Two classes of sixth graders were given presentations on Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology followed by an on-hands session with Puzzlebox Brainstorms and Synapse. Every student was successfully able to drive a LEGO Mindstorms robot using a NeuroSky MindSet EEG headset which measured their levels of concentration and relaxation.

Puzzlebox Brainstorms @ The Rosemont School

A brief write is available on the Rosemont website here.

Puzzlebox would like to give special thanks to all of the great faculty and staff who helped out, and of course the students and their parents who gave permission for their children to be shown in the demonstration video.

Puzzlebox Synapse version 0.4.0 released
Puzzlebox has released an update to "Puzzlebox Synapse" which connects to commercially available consumer EEG headsets such as the NeuroSky MindSet, displays live data back to the user, and relays the data collected over a network or the internet.

Features include:

- Live graphing of raw EEG signals using matplotlib
- Realtime plotting of EEG brain signals by spectrum
- 30 second visual history of Attention and Meditation levels