computer science

Mindball

Mindball is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Mindball rather than just read about it. In short: Mindball is created by the Swedish developer Interactive Productline IP AB. The technique is based on EEG methodology and the basic concept is to move a ball with your mind; Mindball.

Key takeaways

Mindball belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Mindball to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Mindball from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Mindball is created by the Swedish developer Interactive Productline IP AB. The technique is based on EEG methodology and the basic concept is to move a ball with your mind; Mindball. Mindball can refer to both the Mindball Game and Mindball Play, both are developed and distributed by Interactive Productline IP AB.

History The first classic Mindball Game was delivered 2003. More than 260 tables are now found, primarily at Science Centers, all over the world. An Early Access version of Mindball Play was launched on Steam December 1, 2016. The full version was launched in 2018. Similar games have been developed featuring biofeedback, a concept similar to neurofeedback used by Mindball. In 1974, the game Will Ball was developed featuring a premise similar to Mindball though only using biofeedback.

Mindball Game (Table Game) The classic Mindball Game is a physical table where the players are sitting opposite to each other wearing wired headbands with sensors that picks up the brain signals. On the table top there is a ball rolling back and forth depending on players level of focus. The player who is most focused and relaxed will have their ball score the opponents goal and win.

Mindball Play (Video Game) The Mindball Play is a video game created for the consumer market. The full version of the game was launched on Steam July 11, 2018, there are power ups and other features.

Gameplay Mindball Play is a racing game where players control and compete with their own customized ball.

Tracks There are 15 playable tracks in Mindball Play 1.0. Some tracks focus solely on racing with banked turns and sharp drops, others also contain a number of obstacles like deadly laser beams and puddles of slippery oil.

Modes of gameplay Mindball Play has several different modes of gameplay:

Single Player Time Trial Custom races Campaign mode with challenges Multiplayer Online (up to 20 players) LAN (up to 20 players) Split screen (up to 4 players)

Controllers Mindball Play has several available options for input and can be played with:

Brain signals via an EEG headband (Muse and BrainLink) Keyboard Gamepad Tobii Eye Tracker The brain sensing headband The brain sensing headband measures the players brain waves with EEG technology. The more focused the player is, the more control they have over their ball. There are two playable options:

Play with the headband alone. The ball will follow it's AI while you are focused. Play with the headband and any other input mode. The game will listen to your other control when you are focused.

Features Power-ups Power-ups is an optional feature often used in multiplayer. Power-up items are obtained by driving into a box laid out on the course. The power up is then used by the player at will (unless the player pick up a new power up before the current one is used). Time trial leaderboards for each track AI-opponents An available option in single player mode is to race the ghost-balls of top players from the time trial leaderboard. Customization of ball Each player can customize skin and color of their own ball. Steam Achievements The Early Access version of Mindball Play has 32 available steam achievements to date.

See also Comparison of consumer brain–computer interfaces

External links Interactive Productline Community Hub Page Mindball Play on Steam Store Mindball Play Steam Patent: Method for Playing Games Using Brainwaves Principle of decoding of brain waves

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Mindball

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Mindball claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Mindball before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Mindball ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Mindball

In research: Mindball appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Mindball in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Mindball is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Brain–computer interface, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Mindball outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Mindball in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Mindball means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Mindball out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Mindball in simple terms?

Mindball is created by the Swedish developer Interactive Productline IP AB. The technique is based on EEG methodology and the basic concept is to move a ball with your mind; Mindball.

Why does Mindball matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Mindball?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Mindball.