DT Daily: Hands on with MindRDR, SharkStopper anklet, VR Lightsaber demo

If you think wearable tech is still more sci-fi than practical hardware, have a word with DT contributor Andy Boxall. He got his hands on, or more accurately, mind around, a new Glass app called Mind-RDR. It uses an EEG sensor to interpret brain activity, which lets users take photos and then post them on social media sites, just by thinking about it. Mind-RDR detects extra levels of activity in the brain, with concentration indicated by a horizontal line appearing on Glass’s screen. Usually we’re pretty skeptical about mind reading devices. But in this case, as the whole setup becomes more mature, compact, and affordable, it may radically change the way we interact with all kinds of devices.

Good news for all you surfers, bodyboarders, divers, and partakers in all other forms of aquatic activity: there’s a new shark repellent system on the rise that could potentially save you from becoming lunch for Jaws. It’s called SharkStopper, and while it’s definitely not the first invention of it’s kind, it’s noteworthy for the unique way that it fends off your finned friends. SharkStopper uses nothing more than specially-constructed sound waves to keep sharks at a safe distance. Sure, you look like a parolee on supervision, but that’s a small price to pay for peace of mind in shark infested waters. 275 bucks will lock one down for you on their Kickstarter page.

Prepare to get your Jedi on. The virtual Reality enthusiasts at Sixense Entertainment have released a Lightsaber demo video for the company’s STEM motion-tracking system, and it looks awesome. Used in conjunction with the Oculus Rift headset, the demo shows what is possible once latency has been reduced to nearly zero. Accurate simulation of sword fighting has long been a holy grail for VR enthusiasts, and it appears to be here now. The STEM system isn’t commercially available yet, but when it does arrive we expect it to make all the current motion controllers look like mere toys.