Unit Four Individual Project

Jack Lilly

Colorado Technical University

CS875: Futuring and Innovation

Dr. Calongne

February 13, 2022

https://jackctu.blogspot.com/

Abstract

In this paper, whole body Virtual Reality (VR) is explored in the form of Galea from the company OpenBCI. The product has several features such as time-locking biometric data to a stimulus, the vast slew of sensors, and how this technology can be exapted into other forms to suit various industries. A limitation, lack of contact with sensors, is established and its consequences explored and also why this product is necessary. The amenable and challenging forces are provided as is the choice of the Structured Design Process methodology. 

Unit Four Individual Project

Introduction

The innovation for discussion is whole body Virtual Reality (VR). Virtual Reality has been around in one basic form or another since the 1800s through panoramic paintings, the early 1900s through the Link Trainer flight simulator, and up to 2016 when standalone VR headsets went mainstream (VRS, 2020). These headsets are a remarkable improvement compared to earlier innovations, but there is still room to grow. Ahead lies two paths: innovators bring VR to the user’s mind through current methods such as headsets, or innovators bring the user’s mind to VR almost as if logging into a computer. 

An example of the first iteration would be the HalfDive VR created by Diver-X. The company’s initial goal was a technology with direct contact with the brain, such as BCI (Brain-Computer Interface), but it had many obstacles. Eventually, the company realized they intended to simply experience VR through a Half-Dive (half of Full-Dive) experience by combining currently accessible technologies (Kickstarter, 2022). Unfortunately, the company found several issues related to lens outsourcing and lack of funding, so the project was canceled. 

An example of the latter path, bringing the user’s mind into VR, could be found in several media designs such as The Matrix or Sword Art Online. In The Matrix, users already have technology implanted into their heads shortly after birth and can connect a cable to the jack at the base of their skull. In Sword Art Online, users employ a headset similar to HalfDive called the NerveGear. The user reclines in a sleeping position, activates the device, and their consciousness is transported to a virtual world while their natural body lies motionless and unfeeling. 

Galea

The intended product for this assignment, OpenBCI’s Galea, is expanding upon the innovation of these systems and realizing its full potential resulting in an experience more closely resembling the examples from The Matrix or Sword Art Online. Galea possesses several different sensors such as electroencephalography (EEG), electrooculography (EOG), electromyography (EMG), electrodermal activity (EDA), and photoplethysmography (PPG) (Hayden, 2021). The company, OpenBCI, states that Galea provides researchers and developers the tools to measure emotions and facial expressions such as happiness, anxiety, depression, attention span, and interest level (Hayden, 2021). 

Galea is a hardware and software platform that merges next-generation biometrics with mixed reality. It integrates into existing AR and VR head-mounted displays such as the Valve Index. It will ensure tightly time-locked biometric data into development engines, applications, and common programming languages (Dormehl, 2020). Users will experience VR so that it feels almost like the ordinary everyday world they are used to. Additionally, this technology would allow for several different types of work and socialization in VR in ways that have never happened before. 

Features and Limitations

There are several features of this device, but there are also limitations. The first feature is the precise time-locking of biometric data to a stimulus. When stimulation occurs, the device should instantly read the biometrics concerning that stimulus to respond accurately. If the time-locking were slower, the feedback would be incorrect and cause errors with the proper response. It would be like watching a movie that skips ahead a bit every few seconds. You would understand the gist of the experience, but it would undoubtedly fall short.

This product, Galea, would allow VR to become better realized than its current state by including physical sensor data within the application. This is similar to the NeuroSky MindWave headsets that measure brainwave signals and monitor individuals' attention levels as they interact with a variety of apps (NeuroSky, 2022). The Galea possesses the same sensors and more to determine the user’s biometric data within the application accurately. Have you ever played a horror survival game? They can get intense when playing on the console, but even more so in VR because it’s right in your face. Now imagine the same scary scene, but the game can detect your fear and stress levels and either increase or decrease the fear-inducing aspects of the application. 

The third feature for the Galea is how it makes VR feel more immersive. This opens the playing field to the typical gaming vendors and other applications such as therapy or healthcare. A meta-analysis investigated the efficacy of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) as an effective treatment for PTSD compared to the waitlist and active comparators. The findings suggest that VRET may be as effective as active comparators for PTSD patients (Kothgassner et al., 2019). Additionally, this level of virtual interaction empowers developers to create a sandbox of wide-ranging applications that can have varying uses throughout many industries.

One of the limitations of this innovation is the integration of contact of these many sensors to the user’s body. Body shapes and variations exist across individuals, and without proper contact with the sensors, the signal degrades, and environmental noise creeps into the data. Additionally, it was found in the electrical work that a star ground configuration allowed developers to explore different ground setups and determine whether each ground plane should be continuous or connected by resistors while still making sure that every signal trace has an adjacent return path (Bernal, 2021). Similar to the sensors, proper grounding paths were needed to ensure a lack of environmental noise that could disrupt the sensors and their readings. 

Purpose

This technology is needed to expand the ways and forms in which we socialize and how technology is integrated within society. A specific example was already mentioned regarding therapy for PTSD. Using VR, a patient and doctor can step through a controlled environment to experience a trauma even in small doses and thus build a tolerance. Utilizing the Galea, the patient’s biometrics can be monitored, and their treatment better tailored to suit their specific needs. Also, society can benefit from this technology as it is expanded to enable even more assistive technology for individuals who require it. 

Supportive Forces

Two of the supporting forces are technological and medical. As ideas and innovations prosper, so too does technology. While the Galea may have rather specific uses, the technology it employs could also be exapted into other forms and applications. The medical industry could see significant returns on the type of care provided, and its consistency, to patients. Additionally, those in need of assistive technology may have yet another opportunity to claim it in the form of the Galea. 

Challenging Forces

Two of the primary challenging forces take the form of ethical and financial forces. By its nature, the Galea tracks and relays biometric data to its applications. Many individuals, groups, or organizations may be concerned with storing and using this data. Additionally, the financial force plays a significant role in this product. It will be quite expensive to research and develop, which could translate to a higher price point for consumers. This could effectively create a steep divide between those willing to accommodate such a price point and those who are not. 

Structured Design Process (SDP) Methodology

The Structured Design Process (SDP) has been chosen for this innovation because it is best suited. This process allows a complex design to be partitioned into smaller modules, and details of each module are hidden from the others (Kission et al., 1994). Each type of sensor (EEG, EOG, EMG, etc.) will be contained within its own module. The time-locking aspect of biometrics will constitute another module because this aspect is critical to the Galea. Additionally, the typical elements of VR such as tracking, video, vibration, controller inputs, and audio will also have their own modules and submodules. 

Models: Include at least 1–2 visual models.
Analytical Plan: How will you evaluate it?
Anticipated Results: Discuss the social impact of change.
Conclusion: How is innovation diffused within an organization or society (2 pages of final analysis)?
Areas of Future Research: What is needed in the future?

References

Bernal, G. (2021). Developing Galea: An open-source tool at the intersection of VR and Neuroscience. MIT Media Lab. Retrieved February 9, 2022, from https://www.media.mit.edu/posts/galea/ 

Dormehl, L. (2020). Brain-reading headset galea may make keyboards obsolete. Digital Trends. Retrieved February 9, 2022, from https://www.digitaltrends.com/features/galea-mind-computer-interface/?mc_cid=60c41105be&mc_eid=%5B0c60f32dd5%5D 

Hayden, S. (2021). Valve, openbci & tobii to launch VR Brain-Computer interface 'galea' in early 2022. Road to VR. Retrieved February 9, 2022, from https://www.roadtovr.com/valve-openbci-immersive-vr-games/ 

Kickstarter. (2022). Halfdive -world's first VR system optimized for use in bed- (canceled). Kickstarter. Retrieved February 8, 2022, from https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/diver-x/halfdive-worlds-first-vr-system-optimized-for-use-in-bed 

Kission, P., Ding, H., & Jerraya, A. (1994). Design methodology management using graph grammars - CECS. Retrieved February 10, 2022, from http://www.cecs.uci.edu/~papers/compendium94-03/papers/1994/dac94/pdffiles/29_3.pdf 

Kothgassner, O. D., Goreis, A., Kafka, J. X., Van Eickels, R. L., Plener, P. L., & Felnhofer, A. (2019). Virtual reality exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): a meta-analysis. European journal of psychotraumatology, 10(1), 1654782. 

NeuroSky. (2022). EEG sensors - EEG headsets. NeuroSky. Retrieved February 9, 2022, from http://neurosky.com/biosensors/eeg-sensor/biosensors/ 

VRS. (2020). History of virtual reality. Virtual Reality Society. Retrieved February 4, 2022, from https://www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/history.html