I have a Muse 2 [1] and a Flowtime [2]; both are consumer-oriented portable EEGs using Bluetooth to transmit data displayed on their respective mobile apps.
The Muse hardware is seriously inhibited by the same user-exploitative trends we see everywhere, accompanied by meaningless promises. Many researchers used the Muse SDK and API until they discontinued it in 2019 [3] in favor of Muse Direct - another way to force users to feed Muse their data and lock them into a subscription.
Unsurprisingly, this was also abandoned [4] and they claim "We're working on a solution that allows you to collect raw EEG data using the free to download" app, which would still allow Muse complete control over your authentication, use and data. Ugh.
At least the community has reverse-engineered the LSL protocol and built a Python package [5].
Flowtime claimed that it offers a closed API, as they don't have the resources to maintain an open API [6]. I remember somewhere they claimed it was on their roadmap, but I searched again today and couldn't find any support of their claim.
BrainBit [7] and NextMind [8] seem to provide more robust developer tools, although I have no experience. Naturally, each of these runs more than double the ~$200 cost of the Muse and Flowtime devices.
I have no formal neurological education but I strongly believe non-invasive EEGs, combined with novel, gamified training techniques coupled with machine learning will usher in a new era of digital interactions. Like the transition from tactile smartphone keypads to the eventually-ubiquitous full touchscreen, I expect many design iterations in both hardware and software will produce utterly fascinating products.
I can't wait to get excited again for a product launch.
I've been kicking around getting one of these for years, the deciding factor for me is essentially "what kind of demos can you pull off with these?"
ex. a simple "yes / no" detector would be meh, pointer control would be amazing, some sort of mood detector/brain trainer type apps would be _awesome_ since it'd be producing value for me
The Muse hardware is seriously inhibited by the same user-exploitative trends we see everywhere, accompanied by meaningless promises. Many researchers used the Muse SDK and API until they discontinued it in 2019 [3] in favor of Muse Direct - another way to force users to feed Muse their data and lock them into a subscription.
Unsurprisingly, this was also abandoned [4] and they claim "We're working on a solution that allows you to collect raw EEG data using the free to download" app, which would still allow Muse complete control over your authentication, use and data. Ugh.
At least the community has reverse-engineered the LSL protocol and built a Python package [5].
Flowtime claimed that it offers a closed API, as they don't have the resources to maintain an open API [6]. I remember somewhere they claimed it was on their roadmap, but I searched again today and couldn't find any support of their claim.
BrainBit [7] and NextMind [8] seem to provide more robust developer tools, although I have no experience. Naturally, each of these runs more than double the ~$200 cost of the Muse and Flowtime devices.
I have no formal neurological education but I strongly believe non-invasive EEGs, combined with novel, gamified training techniques coupled with machine learning will usher in a new era of digital interactions. Like the transition from tactile smartphone keypads to the eventually-ubiquitous full touchscreen, I expect many design iterations in both hardware and software will produce utterly fascinating products.
I can't wait to get excited again for a product launch.
[1] https://choosemuse.com/muse-2/ [2] https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/flowtime-biosensing-medit... [3] https://github.com/sccn/labstreaminglayer/issues/30 [4] https://choosemuse.force.com/s/article/Muse-Direct-Subscript... [5] https://github.com/alexandrebarachant/muse-lsl [6] https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/987756376/flowtime-bios... [7] https://sdk.brainbit.com/ [8] https://www.next-mind.com/developer/