Summary of THESE MIND-CONTROLLED CAT EARS MOVE WITH YOUR MOOD
This article describes a project where an EEG-powered headband moves cat ears to reflect human emotions. By using a MindWave headset to measure attention and meditation levels, an Arduino controls servos that move 3D-printed ears via Bluetooth data. The wearable design utilizes lithium-polymer batteries and flat cables for power and connectivity, aiming to help cats understand their owner's state of mind through natural ear movements.
Parts used in the Mind-Controlled Cat Ears:
- MindWave headset
- Arduino microcontroller
- Servos
- 3D printed ears
- Lithium-polymer batteries
- Flat cable
As any cat owner will tell you, a cat’s ears are great indicators of its state of mind: pointed forward if they want your attention, turned backwards if they’re angry, and folded down flat when they’re afraid. Humans sometimes don cat ear headbands as a fashion statement, but sitting motionless those ears are more likely to confuse a cat than to provide any meaningful communication.
[Jazz DiMauro] aims to fill that gap by designing a cat ear headband that actually responds to your emotions. It does so by continuously taking an EEG measurement and extracting the “attention” and “meditation” variables from it. Those values are then applied to a set of servos that allow two-axis motion on each 3D printed ear. The EEG readout device is an off-the-shelf MindWave headset, which outputs its sensor data through Bluetooth. An Arduino then reads out the data and drives the servos.
Turning all this into a usable wearable device was a project on its own: [Jazz] went through several iterations to find a suitable power source and wiring strategy until they settled on a pair of lithium-polymer batteries and a single flat cable. The end result looks comfortable enough to wear, and the ears’ motion looks smooth and natural. All that’s left is to test it with real cats, to find out if they can now finally understand their human’s emotions too.
We’ve featured a few moving cat ear headbands before: one that moves along with your head’s motions, and another one with manual control. Today’s EEG-powered one shows yet another application for EEGs, which have been used for anything from invoking lucid dreaming to playing beer pong.
Source: THESE MIND-CONTROLLED CAT EARS MOVE WITH YOUR MOOD
- How does the headband determine emotional state?
It continuously takes EEG measurements to extract attention and meditation variables. - What device provides the sensor data?
An off-the-shelf MindWave headset outputs the sensor data through Bluetooth. - How are the ear movements controlled?
An Arduino reads the Bluetooth data and drives servos to allow two-axis motion on each ear. - What power source was chosen for the wearable device?
The project settled on a pair of lithium-polymer batteries. - What type of wiring strategy was used?
A single flat cable was used to connect the components. - Can this device communicate with real cats?
The article states it is left to test if real cats can finally understand human emotions using this device. - Are there other examples of moving cat ear headbands mentioned?
Yes, one moves with head motions and another has manual control. - What other applications have been found for EEGs?
EEGs have been used for invoking lucid dreaming and playing beer pong.
