Neurable and HP Tap into the Mind to Improve Gamer Performance
Could truly personalized, AAA gaming be on the horizon, too?
Alone in a hotel room with visionaries more in tune with the human brain than I could ever be, I felt like I was being primed for some life-altering experiment. The Neurable team wasn’t at CES to outfit schlubs like me with Brain-Altering Interface Chips, though. They were there to showcase a partnership with HP’s gaming brand, HyperX, intended to help gamers tap into their minds, improve performance, and increase their chances of scoring that coveted Victory Royale.
In early tests with casual players and esports athletes, Neurable’s “Prime” system targeted accuracy and reaction time, crucial metrics in competitive gaming. The neurofeedback system utilizes AI and proven neuroscience to deliver real-time feedback, which is then used to fine-tune focus and cognitive load.
Unless you meditate before each round, neither is likely on your mind when you load into the battlefield. Weapon loadouts, map strategies, and a few queued-up insults cloud your thoughts. Prime guides players by cutting through the noise and finding the potential locked behind external stressors, tense firefights, and the general chaos of multiplayer gaming.
The science behind Prime isn’t new. Neurable has been working with the Department of Defense, using neuroscience to develop methods that assist veterans with brain injuries and manage fatigue in active military personnel. Gaming is a shift into a new space, as Neurable continues its mission to make neurotechnology a part of everyday life through existing video game peripherals like headsets and earbuds.
The current prototype for its HyperX partnership is a headset outfitted with sensors. Think the bowl used to analyze Vinz Clortho’s brain activity. While not necessarily indicative of the finished product, during my demo, nothing about it felt out of place or uncomfortable, even at the prototype’s heavier weight. As a gamer, it just felt like another headset, so integrating Prime into play sessions or esports training won’t be a significant change.
I had the opportunity to see the current build of Prime in action, and I can definitely see the vision. Unfortunately, it hinges on one’s ability to completely relax and clear their mind, something I don’t think I’ve ever been able to do. Not only could I not get into the zone, but I also over-performed during my benchmark aim training session. Not to brag, but I did land the highest score for the week in the Aimlabs trainer.
In Prime, brain activity is represented by a scattering of blue dots, and the goal is to focus and relax enough to shrink the dots into a small circle. I did get close, but kept getting pulled out of my zen zone. In a normal setting where I wasn’t being watched by three other people or exhausted from walking for hours, I feel it would have worked optimally.
I’m not going to judge the process based on my poor performance, especially since something like Neurable’s partnership with HyperX opens the door for a potentially dynamic future for gaming. Even beyond the competitive circuit, there’s an opportunity for developers to integrate player cognitive feedback into the experience to deliver one of the most personalized experiences.
During his presentation, Neurable’s CO, Dr. Ramses Alcaide, suggested something that really got me thinking: Fully personalized gaming experiences. Knowing I was a horror buff, Neurable’s CO, Dr. Ramses Alcaide, proposed a scenario where developers can tailor jump scares based on brain activity. If the player gets too relaxed, the game can trigger an event that keeps them on edge. Consider an Amnesia-type game that integrates the player’s stress level or a game like Eternal Darkness using the player’s actual brain activity to activate sanity effects.
The concept could go beyond horror gaming, altering how a game plays or how a character reacts to what’s happening on screen. It may sound gimmicky, but the opportunity to enhance replayability and heighten immersion would create games that feel tailor-made for individual players.
Prime doesn’t currently have a release date, though the team noted that they’re hoping to define a release with HP “very, very soon.”