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Thursday, Mar 28, 2024

Please Kids, Exercise Mind Control!

A toy doesn’t get much more low-tech than the classic Ant Farm, which has fascinated children with its live harvest ants since the 1950s. Now, Uncle Milton Inc., which is still churning out the plastic insect habitat, is on to something more high tech. This fall, the Agoura Hills company will release the Force Trainer II: Hologram Experience – a Star Wars toy that teaches children to use their minds to control and move holographic images. Really. The trainer includes a headset with a forehead sensor and ear clamp that picks up electrical brain waves and transfers that information into digital signals to control the holograms. “The idea is that you’re the Jedi, and you are re-creating some of the greatest scenes from the Star Wars movies with the power of your mind,” said Ken Malouf, vice president of marketing and product management. Uncle Milton contracted with NeuroSky, a Silicon Valley company developing consumer products using low-cost biosensor technology that picks up electroencephalography waves, commonly called brain waves. The toy uses an iPad or Android tablet to project holographic images that are accessed through an app that is only available once the toy is purchased. To play, the tablet is laid face down on a polygon-shaped plastic box with mirrors at the base. The mirrors reflect the images emitted by the tablet to create three-sided holograms of Star Wars characters that can be controlled with the headset. The toy will be sold at major retailers, including Toys-R-Us, Wal-Mart and Target for $119 to $129. NeuroSky worked with Mattel Inc. to produce a mind-controlled toy called Mindflex dating back to 2009, but it’s no longer on the market. Reyne Rice, principal of New York toy and technology consultancy Toy Trends, said previous mind-powered toys didn’t work well – but Uncle Milton’s is different. Some have promise but aren’t quite there yet; this one actually works and does fulfill the promise,” said Rice, who tried the Force Trainer II at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year. Though the toy was created for children, Uncle Milton believes Star Wars fans of all ages will appreciate the game play. “While they are fun, unique ways to play with Star Wars, they’re also toys that use real science,” Malouf said. – Champaign Williams

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