Neurogaming initiatives towards improving mental health

Neurogaming ?

Neurogaming is a method of getting mind and body to get together in order to perform non-invasive BCI to improve gaming experiences of the gamers. Evolution of this process has made a new controller interface for the gamers to interact with the gaming environment. Neurogaming can identify brain waves, heart rate, pupil dilation and emotions as inputs and the feedback mechanism provided by the user to the system. The main advantage of these kind of gaming is that it retains the users attention on the game and develops interactivity straight with user to provide realistic gaming experience. Also interactions with mind are captured using BCI interfaces.

When focusing on mental health kind of applications of neurogaming it can be developed towards improving attention of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) diagnosed patients. According to Zach Lynch managing director NeuroInsights  “NeuroGaming is not just about having brain control over games. It’s about having your entire nervous system connected to the gaming experience, bringing together all of your senses as drivers and outputs through a gaming system.” Proves us that this will drive the user for a total wellness of his body and mind control which will eventually result in improved mental health.

Neurogaming and mental health

When it is referred to mental health BCI related devices involved in neurogaming devices does a vital job in reading mental status of a particular person in the realtime gaming environment.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD)

is a psychiatric disorder of the neurodevelopmental type in which there are significant problems of attention, hyperactivity, or acting impulsively that are not appropriate for a person's age (wikipedia 2014). This may result in making a certain person to be neglected from the environment he stays on. ADHD management usually involves some combination of counseling, lifestyle changes, and medications. The neurogaming approaches has paved a way to interact directly with their mind and body in order to keep them focused on a particular activity at one time. Neurogaming applications and BCIs in future will may come up with separate applications which causes them to get their heads of the situation that they are currently. This is because the gaming environment can get feedback on whether the user is focused on the game or his mind is driving away from the situation.

As an additional resource I found an interesting video which talks about how to identify whether you have ADHD.

Figure 1: How to know If You Have ADHD

Bio/Neurofeedback for mental relaxation

Bio/Neurofeedback can be used as a method of identifying the capacity of mental relaxation of a gaming user. While changing the gaming experience the devices can get readings of user to evaluate the mental relaxation of a particular subject. These can be used to provide treatments on sleep problems, teeth grinding, insomnia, autism and chronic pain.

Figure 2 : Extraction of bio/neurofeedback

This shows that the outputs provided while using neurogaming by  diagnosed user can also be sent on to a therapists directly to provide with required medical attention and to come up with mental status readings. This provides the therapist to understand the real mental status of the subject.

Devices which may turn into mind reading neurogaming devices
The Devices that are below are in the state of emerging as giants in the application use of neurogaming devices which are to come in future. 

Google Glass

Figure 3 : Google Glass Games

Ocolus Rift

Figure 4 : Oculus rift + Omni gaming experience

References

Mini-Games for Glass - YouTube. 2014. Mini-Games for Glass - YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=9naxeHGIaRY. [Accessed 01 May 2014]
E-mental health: digital, mobile and tele tech for the brain! | Scoop.it . 2014. E-mental health: digital, mobile and tele tech for the brain! | Scoop.it . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.scoop.it/t/e-mental-health-digital-mobile-and-tele-tech-for-the-brain. [Accessed 01 May 2014].
Will Neurogaming Speed Our Understanding of the Mind/Body Connection? | DrBonnie360. 2014. Will Neurogaming Speed Our Understanding of the Mind/Body Connection? | DrBonnie360. [ONLINE] Available at: http://drbonnie360.com/post/50661853357/will-neurogaming-speed-our-understanding-of-the. [Accessed 01 May 2014].
Google Glass now has games | Joystiq. 2014. Google Glass now has games | Joystiq. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.joystiq.com/2014/02/02/google-glass-now-has-games/. [Accessed 01 May 2014].
Omni + Rift = True VR (TF2) - YouTube. 2014. Omni + Rift = True VR (TF2) - YouTube. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=qpHWJMytx5I. [Accessed 01 May 2014].