Claire Boucher, better known as Grimes, celebrated her 35th birthday this year with a unique gift: a brain-computer interface (BCI). BCIs allow users to control a computer by reading their brain waves.
Using Neurosity's Crown to Enhance Creativity: The Story of Grimes and Her Custom-Made Headset
Neurosity, the company behind the device, made a custom headset for the singer in white, according to the company's CEO, AJ Keller. The Neurosity Crown headset measures brain activity using electroencephalogram technology, or EEG, by placing small metal electrodes on the scalp.
According to the story by Business Insider, it enables the user to focus better by playing music or vibrating when the brain is detected to be relaxed. But some owners have found other creative uses for the device, as Grimes herself discovered.
Grimes Gets a Remarkable Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Device for Her 35th Birthday
In an incredible move forward for technology, singer and producer Grimes just got a remarkable brain-computer interface (BCI) device from Neurosity for her 35th birthday. The 'Crown' device is non-invasive and uses electroencephalogram technology, or EEG, to measure brain activity by placing small metal electrodes on a person's scalp, as seen on Grime's tweet.
AJ Keller, Neurosity's CEO, confirmed that Grimes had requested a white-colored Crown. Some users have gone further than Neurosity's original device and have used Crown to control a Tesla by 'doing some mental math' based on the electrode readings the device thought, as seen in a tweet by Twitter user @aribk24.
Neurosity's Non-Invasive Headset for Controlling Computers with the Mind
Grimes alone posted a tweet, now deleted, that the tech allowed her to move a cursor with her mind instead of a computer mouse. Neurosity and Elon Musk's Neuralink are two very distinct companies.
Neuralink is working on permanent, implantable devices, while Neurosity has created a headset for people to take off when they're not using it. Neuralink's applications include neurological diseases like Parkinson's and telepathic messaging, though the company has yet to have any trials with humans successfully.
Read Also: Neuralink Allegedly Transported Hazardous Brain Chips from Monkeys, Now Under Investigation
The Crown Device: Bringing Attention and Credibility to BCI Technology
Neurosity's Crown is already available on the market, and users have used it to increase their productivity. Keller explained that the company aims to offer an alternative to stimulants like Adderall or caffeine, suggesting further development of the device to optimize concentration and focus.
Neurosity introduced its first BCI in 2020, since then, they've made improvements and shipped hundreds of its headsets out. There are around 500 to 600 people actively using the Crown monthly, with each device priced around $1,000 - or $99 per month as a subscription service.
It's amazing to see the things like this being done - when technology and science converge together, it never ceases to amaze. While the Crown technology is still in development and far from being considered a mainstream device, Grimes is helping to bring attention and credibility to this powerful new device.
Related Article: Neuralink Applied for Human Trials in 2022, But the FDA Rejected it-Why?
