Brainball

2008

Magnus Jonsson
Olof Bendt
Thomas Broomé
Lennart Andersson
Aurelian Bria
Carolina Browall
Esbjörn Eriksson
Sara Ilstedt Hjelm
Arijana Kajfes (SE)
Frederik Petersson
Tobi Schneidler
Ingvar Sjöberg (SE)
Konrad Tollmar
Lotten Wiklund
Jakob Boije
Smart Studio (SE)

Relax and win! “Brainball” turns the conventional concept of competition on its head: the victor isn’t the contestant who’s most active, but rather the one whose brainwaves signal the deeper state of relaxation.

“Brainball” is three projects in one: it’s a game, it’s art and it’s R&D. Two players sit at a table facing one another. Their brainwaves are registered and then analyzed and interpreted by a Macromedia Director application that controls magnets mounted beneath the table. These magnets, in turn, influence the direction of a ball on the table’s surface. The ball rolls towards the player whose brainwaves indicate a higher state of relaxation. Here, the use of cutting-edge biosensors opens up interesting human-machine interaction possibilities.

We live in a world in which everything seems to be moving faster and faster. New technologies that are actually supposed to make our lives easier lead to a spiral of incessant acceleration. More and more people suffer from exhaustion and stress-related health problems.

“Brainball” is Smart Studio’s take on this High-Speed Society. The principle of competition is turned about, with the result constituting a commentary on modern life.
“Brainball” earned Smart Studio an Honorary Mention in the Interactive Art category at Prix Ars Electronica 2001.