Brainball
Saturday, January 1st, 2000
Compete in doing nothing
Interactive art piece conceived and produced by all members of the Interactive Institute Smart Studio (1999)
Brainball is a game where you win by relaxing. Two players, sitting on opposite sides of the table, are equipped with EEG headbands that monitor brain activity. The game examines the players’ brainwaves to determine which one is more relaxed. If you are more relaxed, the ball on the table moves towards the opponent, and you win when the ball reaches the goal circle on the opponent’s side. Brainball has been shown in art exhibitions and other shows all around the world, and a number of tables have been sold to science centers and other venues. The original Brainball was made by the Smart studio (where I was part of the original concept development and did parts of the programming of the original prototype). In 2003 a commercial version called Mindball was introduced. Brainball was awarded an honorary mention in the Interactive Arts category at Ars Electronica (2001).
Photo: Technicus / Mathias Lindqvist.