Holiday TWO weeks summary | The four F's of active reviewing

On Wednesday of the first week of the holiday, I had an appointment with Dr. Kunal at the Empathy Computing Lab to conduct research on the Unicorn device. During the two-hour session (10 am - 12 pm), Dr. Kunal warmly introduced me to the device's usage and provided a detailed user manual. During this time, I personally wore the non-invasive head-mounted device and observed the corresponding brainwave frequencies in real-time through the Unicorn detection software by performing actions like rapid blinking, raising my left/right hand, meditating with closed eyes, and focusing with open eyes. Dr. Kunal also helped install Unity, Visual Studio, and other project development software on my computer.

Photograph 1: Close eyes to check brainwave frequency

Photograph 2: Unicorn Hybrid Device

Photograph 3: Brain Computer Interface system

The image above shows Dr. Kunal explaining in detail how the Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) captures signals through the channels on the device and translates them into commands via code. This closely aligned with my prior research, so I didn’t find this part particularly challenging. After in-depth discussions with the expert and hands-on practice, I began focusing on the interactive design of the online platform.

Photograph 4:Brainwave frequency

I chose Unity as the core platform for the online project, combined with C# as the built-in script and action-assisting functions. After studying and conceptualising the implementation method, I realised that a single command output was not enough to support a full gaming experience. To enhance users' creativity in the game, such as enabling multiple choices for actions like turning left/right, moving forward/backward, I recognised that the current device, as demonstrated in Dr. Kunal's "Angry Birds" game, had certain limitations in transmitting commands. Therefore, rather than striving for an incomplete game, I decided to create an immersive brain training system with basic functionality.

Screenshot 1: Testing concept in Unity

Although I haven’t achieved much in these two weeks, I’ve clearly mapped out the next steps for the project through careful thought. If the project were likened to building a car, understanding the neurofeedback system and device connections would be equivalent to learning the basic mechanics of the car and completing the procurement of materials. In the coming two weeks, I’ll focus on constructing the basic framework of the immersive training platform in Unity. Ultimately, I will "package" this car by completing the logo design, scene design, and character design during the later stages of the project.

Reference:

Shen, Elisa. (2024) Photograph 1: Close eyes to check brainwave frequency.

Shen, Elisa. (2024) Photograph 2: Unicorn Hybrid Device.

Shen, Elisa. (2024) Photograph 3: Brain Computer Interface system.

Shen, Elisa. (2024) Photograph 4:Brainwave frequency.

Shen, Elisa. (2024) Screenshot 1: Testing concept in Unity.