This article was first published in the July 2015 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online
This is no ordinary hard hat. Created by artist Aiste Noreikaite, the Experience Helmet aims to read the wearer's thoughts to create an unexpected soundscape. "I originally just wanted to make a helmet with a psychedelic soundtrack," says the London-based Lithuanian. "But then I found out about electroencephalography [EEG] devices. It creates an element of surprise."
Inspired by Buddhist thought and meditation practices, the Experience Helmet is designed to enhance self-awareness. An EEG sensor embedded within the helmet measures the wearer's brainwaves; a built-in processor then interprets the data and uses it to generate a surreal soundtrack.
"My main goal was to translate the brainwaves as accurately as possible," says Noreikaite, 23. "I did this by using electronic sounds because it relates to the electrical movements between the neurons." The helmet can also affect your thoughts using binaural beats. "If you play one tone, for example 330Hz, to one ear, and 340Hz to the other, the brain produces a low-frequency pulsation, which is the difference between those tones," Noreikaite explains. "It might be 2Hz to induce delta brainwaves [the waves that are associated with REM sleep] or 20Hz for beta waves, which are most active when we think logically."
Noreikaite now aims to delve deeper and create a more complex and nuanced experience for the wearer. "I want to dig more into brains and explore how they work," she says. "I want to try and translate human emotions."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
