Video: Mattel Mind Flex hands (and heads) on

Gamers have largely gotten a bad rep for being lazy, slothful people who spend their hours mindlessly pressing buttons. The Wii changed that a bit by getting kids (and their parents... and their parents) up off the couch, but what about giving their brains a workout too? For your family's little mind freak to-be Mattel is introducing the Mind Flex, a brain-powered game that relies on your mental activity to control the height of a ball suspended in a column of air. Don the headset then start concentrating to make the purple orb rise; relax and it lowers. There are six total game types but all entail getting a ball over, under, and through a variety of hoops and the like, sometimes against a clock so that you can challenge your friends. Sadly you have to actually reach up and turn the dial to move the ball around the course, but in our heads on trial we found the thing to be impressively responsive, gently sinking down when we thought about getting some sleep -- then shooting back up again when we pondered the number of posts left to write tonight. It was challenging for sure, and definitely turned a lot of heads, but we're a little concerned that extended sessions could be headache inducing. Its $80 price tag might cause some temple pain too when the thing releases this fall, but we've certainly spent more money on things that were less fun -- and mentally stimulating. Video of floaty balls and squinting players below.

Gallery: Mattel Mind Flex

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

[bjsguess @ Jan 9th 2009 12:10AM]

Sounded cool. Then I watched the video. Not quite sure what I am looking at.

[Shinigami @ Jan 9th 2009 1:11AM]

Sounded interesting. Watched video. Lost any interest.
IMO would be more fun to control an RC car, making it drive and turn with the power of your thought.

[NovaLand @ Jan 9th 2009 11:34AM]

You were looking at a jerking ball! ...or was it the user of the headset jerking off?

[suicycle.com @ Jan 9th 2009 1:30AM]

Like you, I have no idea what the "game" is in all of this. Plus, did anyone hear the horror-flick music playing throughout the video?

[PatentsPending4Life @ Jan 13th 2009 11:45PM]

Tough sell into retailers at $40 FOB. I would buy it for $40 retail. Cmon big "M" Engineering Team cost reduce this thing to $20 FOB!!! Marketing team, get err done or this will be on clearance by Dec 1st....

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Jan 9th 2009 10:17PM]

I wonder if they put one of these in the hands of a Psychopath like Charles Manson, would the device then go haywire and show an RRoD?

[ihavenolife88j @ Jan 9th 2009 12:13AM]

I had a harry potter game that was exactly the same as this, using the same obstacles too. Only difference was that it was not mind controlled.

[iPhoneAir @ Jan 9th 2009 12:16AM]

DAMN, you beat me to it, i was going to mention the same thing...

It had a broom lever to control the air flow...

[NukeAssault @ Jan 9th 2009 12:40AM]

Ha, i immediately though of that toy too.

[IbetyouhavemoreofalifethanIdo @ Jan 9th 2009 1:00AM]

I... I have it too... It still works... I... I loved it... now it just sits there, collecting dust.

[Deed @ Jan 9th 2009 5:03PM]

You beat me to it too. I asked for that toy for one of my birthdays, but I didn't get it then forgot about it.

[Nick @ Jan 9th 2009 3:07PM]

omg i was gonna say that too!!

[Jewels @ Jan 10th 2009 11:07AM]

and a ouija board too...

[El Stiko @ Feb 15th 2009 7:58PM]

Yep - Mattel as well. Looks like they recycled the course design.

http://www.toymania.com/columns/spotlight/hplevgame.shtml

[Aaron @ Jan 9th 2009 12:14AM]

What the crap?!

This thing is weird! I'd really like to try it out before I make a purchasing decision...

[Yankee Fever 02 @ Jan 9th 2009 12:38AM]

i hate when people say "what the crap."

[Yevon @ Jan 9th 2009 12:49AM]

I hate when people say, "i hate when people say "what the crap.""

[Nytrojen @ Jan 9th 2009 12:52AM]

what the shit?

[Aaron @ Jan 9th 2009 1:12AM]

I say "what the shit" all the time in real life, but I figured "What the crap" would be a change of pace this time around.

heh...

[Shinigami @ Jan 9th 2009 1:13AM]

I hate it when people say "I hate it". See? You even made me say that twice! I hate it....

[Paulmichael @ Jan 9th 2009 4:53AM]

Rule #1XX of the Internet: never expose what irks you, as you'll get plenty of responses meant to just irritate you all the more.

Oh and what the crap.

[Phoenix @ Jan 9th 2009 10:20AM]

I hate vans.

[Jake Tobak @ Jan 9th 2009 10:29AM]

You'll have plenty of time to live in a Van down by the river when... you're livin' in a VAN down by the RIVER!

[ImaYam @ Jan 9th 2009 12:45AM]

That thing is bad-ass!! :D

[ImaYam @ Jan 9th 2009 1:24AM]

I might just pick it up, and return. For 80$, a ball in the air is a ripoff, but cool nonetheless.

[Arkenklo @ Jan 9th 2009 6:12AM]

It's not exacly the ball that cost's $80, I think it's the whole mind-control-thingy.

[Jewels @ Jan 10th 2009 10:57AM]

You'd pay them to use your mind? Now there's a thought. However it may get old quickly, it is a cool gadget to see what else can it do. I'll be getting a tin foil hat soon enough, though. This could get dangerous.

[PreGHz @ Jan 9th 2009 12:50AM]

That is so ballin'.

[chris @ Jan 9th 2009 1:01AM]

cant wait to try. for 80 bucks i might even pick it up although it will be more expensive in canada.

[martin @ Jan 9th 2009 1:51AM]

so um, how exactly does that head set read brain activity? Correct me if im wrong but isnt there some type of required brain scan ala MRI or CAT in order to do that?

Maybe im just over thinking this ; )

[tintenfisch @ Jan 9th 2009 1:55AM]

$80 bucks for a wireless EEG sensor.. that's pretty cheap!
I wonder how detailed the output data is.. like if it could be used for something more interesting..

/J

[valerie @ Jan 9th 2009 2:42AM]

yeah. imagine playing pong with this.
if it can move up and down it can be converted to binary.
the possibilities are endless from then on...amazing!!!

http://www.jobstaxi.com

[Paulmichael @ Jan 9th 2009 4:54AM]

I remember playing with something that had a similar concept at the Wired NextFest (07). It was a two-player game, and I could barely calm my brain down. I'm always doing soo much thinking! :)

[Thinker @ Jan 9th 2009 8:50AM]

With each addition to mind powered gadgets the comments about cuhrazy ladies in tin foil hats get fewer and fewer.

[Hackettman @ Jan 9th 2009 10:15AM]

I see how it works but my mind races constantly Id never be able to play this damn thing.....

[Frater Poe @ Jan 9th 2009 1:25PM]

It's the Krel brain machine!!!

I hope this one doesn't release MONSTERS FROM THE ID!!!!

Anybody been torn to bits at CES this year? I mean, aside from Microsoft?

[Gad Get @ Jan 9th 2009 2:03PM]

"Use the force!"

[Gad Get @ Jan 9th 2009 2:03PM]

"ConcenTRAAATE!"

[greg @ Feb 7th 2009 4:29AM]

What song was that in the video

[Noobman @ Jan 12th 2009 12:31PM]

Yo this shit is boom!

[ohforfucksake @ Jan 9th 2009 4:20PM]

HA!!!

[victor @ Jan 9th 2009 6:58PM]

looks nice but change the object to something more fun like a toy car or small plane

[BleeporBlopi @ Jan 10th 2009 9:31AM]

Mind controlled planes : reference movie "Firefox" (1982) by Clint Eastwood

[Megumi Kyou @ Jan 10th 2009 11:23AM]

Was anyone first reminded of Angelic Layer, after which their hopes were crushed? It would be nice if they would make a sensor for the motor area of your brain, after mapping which areas experience heightened signals to different body motions. They may be able to make an Angel doll like that, but this is flawed. :\

[Zombie @ Jan 10th 2009 8:51PM]

They were planning on releasing one of those headsets that you can use to play video games and operate your computer with.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lLA2CiNLm2I&feature=related