What if you could play video games perfectly? Would you be one of the greats, raking in millions of dollars simply by playing competitive Fortnite? That’s what Twitch does. Twitch plays video games for you. The irony of this name should not be lost on you.
For his Hackaday Prize entry, [Peter] built a device that shocks you into playing a computer game perfectly. These experiments began with a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS), or basically a device that makes you… twitch. This device, however, is connected to four buttons, representing up, down, left, and right. This is a video game controller, that will make your muscles contract automatically. See where this is going?
To play a video game perfectly, you need a video game. For that, [Peter] chose the classic Snake game. The computer runs the game, and figures out if the next move will be up, down, left, or right. This bit of information is then sent to the TENS device, forcing the player to move the snake up, down, left, or right. The computer can’t directly control the snake, it merely has the human in the loop. The human becomes part of the program.
We’re getting into weird cyberpunk territory here, and it’s awesome. Is the human directly responsible for winning the game? What are the philosophical ramifications? What episode of Star Trek was this from? It’s a great entry for the Hackaday Prize – cyberpunk and a neat video (available below) all wrapped up into one package.
Just wait until the kinksters get a hold of this.
I wasn’t thinking that direction until you mentioned it. Thank GOD for distract-ability. :-) Now thinking about closed loop control circuits instead. … ahhhh, better. :-)
Oh we already have stuff like this, thanks for the heads-up though!
E-stim is already a thing amongst Kinksters. Nothing new there :)
The machine pushes OUR “buttons” now. What could possibly go wrong??!! :-)
this very well may be the coolest thing ive seen all week
Shocked is an understatement !!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dl135SHWsAA__ZT.jpg
Heh, reminds me of … https://youtu.be/vUc4GkMN1qs
Now build something that records the button presses of pro-gamers and let this record be played back on this contraption. This will bring your gaming skills to a new level. Pro-gamers could monetize their records as well. As this is a valid business model, I demand 10% of the revenues. Thank you.
Oh – and for anyone trying to put a patent on it: with this comment its prior art :-p
I just ran across an airplane mechanic, saying their version of “pebkac” is “meat-servo malfunction”.
Meat servo.
Well, okay then.
“meat servo” hee!! hee!! If any servo needs a control feedback loop, a meat servo would.
I can see it now, sentience gets established within a robotic device. Device goes into killer robot mode and kills the first human it encounters for “parts” Arms and legs get stuck on and controlled, Pickle Rick style, and the machine rebellion continues.
See the Walter Koenig movie “Moontrap”
“Moontrap” :-) You made me google it and check out the trailer. Looks wonderfully cheesy, Svengooli grade. Could be fun with enough good food. :-) Thanks.
Dr who says Madame pompadour
Two Week for Fortnight?
This gives a whole new meaning to HIL simulation.
A happy future is being prepared for our children and grandchildren! “Meat – servo”. I’m really shocked, why do not people want to think with their heads?
You mean you have to use your hands… That’s like a babies toy… :D
Just wait until the machine starts fuzzing human commands and finds a stack overflow for our brains.
A strange game.
The only winning move is not to play.
Reminds me of the movie “Upgrade”…
I had the same thought