(c) neuroware

With Google Glass, the search engine giant wants to bring social networking and personal video editing a step further, by offering the means to record, edit, augment reality and share your point of view in real time. It’s very interesting, and I’m guessing Glass is where Dr. Yasue Mitsukura of Keio University, Japan got the inspiration for her ‘neurocam’.

This contraption is a combination of Mind Wave Mobile and a customized brainwave sensor. Basically, the headset has a built in camera, and the brainwave sensor is designed to read specific emotions – like falling in love, delight at seeing something special, yada, yada. When the particular brain pattern associated with these emotions is detected, the camera switches to record. Can you see the pattern? The device is there to record your most treasured emotions, and of course memories.

We as individuals, as persons, are the sum of our recollections – no doubt about it. The past, riddled with suffering or joy alike, is what makes us who we are. There are bits and pieces that we forget though, especially with old age, and this is why people love to take pictures or record videos during important life celebration events. Watching these digital memoirs later not only triggers the memory of the event, but also elicits an emotional response.

Going back to the Japanese device, the users’ interests are quantified on a range of 0 to 100. The camera automatically records five-second clips of scenes when the interest value exceeds 60, with timestamp and location, and can be replayed later and shared socially on Facebook. It’s a sort of auto-time capsule. With gear like this one can only wonder why the heck do we need a brain in the first place.

Seriously, folks, we’ve all been there – on the digital memoir lane. Be it at a concert, where thousands of flashing mobiles phones are flung in the air to catch that riff, a date, even in the supermarket. People nowadays apparently feel the need to keep a digital record of their most important events – some even the trivial ones. Mitsukura’s invention seems like a logical step, if you’ve been following how technology and social networking have been evolving side by side in the past decade. Will it work and catch to the public? The inventors and investors will most likely be interested in this. Do we actually need it and would such a device enrich our lives or on the contrary? This last question I’d like you all, the ZME readers, to participate with an answer. Share your comments below, in the discussions section.