NerveGear - Both Near and Far

[Markystal]

Just a quick explanation of what the NerveGear is for the uninitiated:

In 2012, the anime (Phrase for Japanese styled cartoons) Sword Art Online was released, set in the near future of 2022 where in by a game called Sword Art Online is being released. The title is a VRMMORPG that features a an all sensory fully immersive virtual reality system called Full Dive, enabled by a device called the NerveGear. The device bears a helmet form factor and operates by reading brain signals to obtain control inputs, blocking efferent messages from the brain to the body to prevent the user from performing in game actions in real life (which could injure them), and sends it's own afferent sensory signals to the brain to immerse the consciousness, all via the use of high density microwave transceivers. The players get trapped in the game by the creator of the game, Kayaba Akihiko, who tells them that the removal of the NerveGear or dying in game will result in the device releasing it's limiter and using high density microwaves, kill the user. The anime became very popular and is scheduled to have a second season released in July of this year.

I remember being excited for the show waiting for it's release with anticipation since I'd been reading the manga a few months earlier and gotten an interest in VR from prior connections in a webcomic a friend was making that lightly touched on VR and from watching the Oculus Rift demo by John Carmack at e3 of that year (2012). I can recall as far back as the first episode reading thee comments sections below the video streams and seeing many posts of people wishing devices like the NerveGear existed and to be able to play the game Sword Art Online, many completely unaware that the seeds of the VR revolution were already sprouting, if only just above the ground.

Admittedly, I'd say this show was what brought me over the edge to want to be a game developer (I'd been debating going into Sequential Art primarily at the time) and I think that for many, this will be the program that inspires their career path on some level as prior works of Science Fiction have done in the past. As a result of this, I'm very fond of the anime (though I acknowledge now that the show has MANY flaws) and feel glad to know that this program has affected many others as it did me and that there is hope for virtual reality as medium yet. However, with this hope, comes the simultaneous surge of impatience and ignorance on the part of the uninformed that I think needs some addressing, hence why I created the following YouTube video:




TL;DR / TL:DW
1.) I explain the NerveGear's technique for VR (cancel body movements, read brain signals for controls, send signals for immersion)
2.) The Nerve Gear's technique for VR is sound, but the technique for achieving it just plain old doesn't exist. Nothing we have achieves an effect remotely close to this. To use such a technique is to essentially pioneer new technology
3.) Controls may have a foundations in today's EEG technology, but whether or not it can be refined remains to be seen.
____________________________
I've seen all too many a posts suggest that we simply do as they did in Sword Art Online, without so much as a single though on how this can be done. We need a bit of a reminder that a technique without applications is basically worthless. I understand that the prospect of VR being nears is enticing, I myself could use a brake installation on my own drive to push VR forward, but we have to accept that VR is in it's nascent stages and that both Sword Art Online and NerveGear style VR are not going to be here right now just because the seeds are starting to sprout and we really want it. VR is a dellicate medium that will require a great amount of hardship and effort to cultivate properly. If we aren't careful, we'll simply invite a myriad of problems to come out so fast we can't handle them, which means no fun for anyone.

[Astrocyte]

Markystal, thankyou. That was a really interesting and informative video!

Asside from the points you raise about NerveGear, the problem with BCIs generally is that although inputs to the brain can be of fairly high data rate (e.g. through the eyes), unless one physically connects directly with the brain the information coming back out will always be very slow (due to the limited capacity of the outward information channel). For example, our brainwaves are comparatively feeble signals, thus ensuring that amplification is necessary when recording EEG. Also, when you consider the limited frequency range of human brain waves, both these factors imply a relatively low data rate, and we cannot get more bits per second than Shannon allows (i.e., fundamental limits on signal processing operations such as compressing data and on reliably storing and communicating data). This is generally why the usefulness of non-invasive neuroprostheses (including ones that tap nerves), are limited. To fully get around this limitation we would ideally require a way of selectively targeting individual synaptic connections, and there is no method that has sufficient spatial resolution to do this. Until such a time as this is possible, I think we are stuck with low-grade methods such as EEG where pyramidal cortical neurons are thought to produce the most of the signal because they are well-aligned and fire together (information from functionally important neuron's that are not well-aligned are likely missed from the data). However, improvements in EEG and other rough methods will still prove useful.

A pleasure to discuss as always 😄

[KiritoVR0804]

This is very helpful. I recently watched this anime and been doing heavy research to see if this type of tech Is actually possible. I do understand the heavy limitations that we do have on us now, but hopefully soon this can become reality! Look at us now, not long ago we had pong, now we have the Oculus Rift. And for the NerveGear, instead of projecting images in front of your eyes, how about we create them in your mind? This will allow even blind people to play. Now I'm young so cut me some slack if any of this is defiantly not possible.

[saviornt]

Not possible unless you had cybernetic work done on your visual cortex.

On a side note.. there is a DARPA project underway that will allow the human brain to store information and replay it on a "USB Drive". Of course, it won't be a USB device, but more or less, similar in nature.

http://www.darpa.mil/NewsEvents/Releases/2014/07/09.aspx

Another DARPA of interest for us is the "Reliable Neural-Interface Technology". The goal of the project is to control artificial limbs, however, who is to say that instead of a physical limb, we can't use the same technology as a computer input to control an avatar?

[kaetemi]

"saviornt" wrote:
On a side note.. there is a DARPA project underway that will allow the human brain to store information and replay it on a "USB Drive".

The movie wasn't too bad, I'd recommend it. :mrgreen:

[saviornt]

Ahh, I didn't even think of that.. Total Recall 🙂

Which version though? 😛

[Zoomie]

I think kaetemi's referring to Johnny Mnemonic.

[KiritoVR0804]

"Zoomie" wrote:
I think kaetemi's referring to Johnny Mnemonic.

I think you're right there.

[Jesusfreaknerve]

Hello I'm Jesus Freak, I'm a fan of SAO and I believe nerve gear can be created. With God's help I have an idea that could work or at the very least help. My hypnosis that nerve gear could be created by computers and lucid dreaming.



Lucid dreaming is when someone is in a dream and the dreamer is aware that they are dreaming. When we sleep the brain works almost like it is awake the difference being certain chemicals in are brain are almost blocked. When the chemicals like norepinephrine, serotonin, and histamine are blocked the muscles stop moving so you can move anyway you want in your dream and your body wont move. (Except for sleep walkers Lol) Another thing about lucid dreaming is once you realize your dreaming you can see, hear, smell, taste and move like you would in real life. (though you don't feel pain) The best part is since it's your dream you can even fly, talk to celebrities and visit Hawaii. The different ways people learn to lucid dream are keeping a dream journal, tell themselves they will lucid dreaming  (Believe it or not that actually a reliable way to do it) and practicing reality checks like counting fingers. With lucid dreaming you can disconnect from reality and go on adventures just like the nerve gear of SAO.



My idea is making a machine, say a helmet, that put you in a lucid dream created by a computer. The helmet first takes someone into a dream state the computer then sends images to the conscience part of the brain or to cortex creating a dream place through electric signals with low or high geomagnetic activity. I also think the helmet should come with earphones so sounds could help convince the brain to accept the fake dream. For example, say the computer is trying to send you to a prairie sounds of birds, grass rustling and window blowing could influence the brain to take the images as part of the dream. Overall the computer can send the place, equipment and perhaps monsters and you since your lucid dreaming move anyway you want and travel, collect items or kill monsters. There is definitely more science and technology to be considered in this but this is only an idea I'm not sure if it can be proven I really hope so.



That's was my hypnosis I hope it helps or at the very least inspires other ideas.

[danknugz]

lucid dreaming is cool and ive achieved it a few times