Question, Biometric feedback devices.

studiorat

(Mods, please feel free to mooooove this post if in the wrong category)

Hello all,
I'm building an interactive computer music project for a college course at the moment involving sensors etc. So I'm looking for something a little different than the usual light sensors and knobs.

So, I wanted to ask do any of the peeps here know where I could ge my hands on some medical type sensors, EEG monitors, Heart monitors, those things that measure galvanic resistance on skin etc.

Would somewhere like that place near Camden st. stock such devices and are they really expensive?

Ta.

also posted in Health Sciences Forum...

Capt'n Midnight

Health and fitness / cycling forums would know more about heart monitors, the more expensive ones can be liked to a computer to download data, some may even do it live.

you can buy heart monitors, blood pressure monitors and tens machines at your local German discount supermarket every few months - Modifying any of these devices could be dangerous so don't even think about it. Someone who knows about software might be able to figure out how to do OCR (optical character recognition) and then all you'd need to do is point a camera at the display.


Other options - get a thermal imaging camera (not cheap) and you can directly see how hot someone is.

PIR sensors will also see detect someone, but you would would have to remove the filters otherwise they would triger on all movement.


For DIY wearable devices that can talk back to a computer you can get acceleration sensors in watches like the eZ430-Chronos, but a lot of work. FAnother approach is to look at Lillypad + xbee (Arduino that can be sewn on to clothes) and they come with a whole range of sensors , temp , acceleration and it's easy enough to download existing code.


Going more off topic you can use inductive or capacitive sensors to detect when people are close without having any contact at all. Ultrasound distance sensors will also do this. Not the same thing as the ones used to scan babies.


You can use Infra Red LED's and the camera from a WII controller


Or just go old school and make a Theremin , classic interactive music.
of course to make it look computery you'll need to stick a USB port and some flashing lights on it

studiorat

Thanks,
I really was looking for specifically bio feedback though. Galvanic skin resistance, EEGs. Ala Alvin Lucier etc.

Although capcaitive sensors also look like a possibility and probably cheaper.