Japan invents mind-controlled cat ears

Dan Seitz Contributing Writer, Tech

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The ability to scan the brain and use that information to perform actions is one of the most important scientific endeavors right now. It will let paralyzed people walk and communicate, make hazardous tasks much safer, and also apparently help furries have animatronic cat ears.

Here, have the obligatory and kind of creepy product video!

The device uses a brain-computer interface (BCI) to constantly scan your brain for emotional cues. Depending on your emotional state, the ears will change position. Yes, it is a $100 mood ring. Apparently it’s not enough to be able to Twitter to large groups of people you’re depressed in Japan.

Leaving aside for a minute the fact that legions of crazy girls who think they are kitties will buy these things, did anybody stop and think what a fundamentally ridiculous use of this technology this is? It is at least doing some good in the sense that as there’s more demand for BCIs the cost of making them will drop.

Still, users should stop and think carefully before buying these. Not least because, more than your emotional state, it communicates that you might be a wee bit emotionally stunted. Or prone to stalking. Or both.

Necomimi Brings Brain-Activated Cat Ears to Comic-Con [Gizmag]