A prototype of a smart headband was created by Xiaomi engineers during a recent in-house hackathon. It allows users to control their home appliances and other tech by using brainwaves.

The device was described on the social platform Weibo (via The Register). There’s a video attached to the post which shows a user wearing the headband connected to a smartphone app which shows his brainwaves in real-time. The narration of the video is in Chinese so you will need to be a native speaker to understand every word.

But use cases are not difficult to imagine. You could, for example, use such a device to switch on and off the lights in your bedroom with your mind. That’s the impression the video gives, at least.

Of course, you can already do the same by simply speaking. But then you miss out on the cool factor of doing this just by thinking about it. How cool you’d look wearing the clunky headband all day long is an entirely different matter.

The inventors of the headband suggest some more practical uses beyond controlling home appliances. For example, the thing could be used to monitor driver fatique. It could automatically alert or switch on smart control of the vehicle if the person is not fit to drive.

This is the third hackathon run by Xioami. The platform is a testing ground for innovative products that we might see one day. But don’t expect to start using the smart headband anytime soon. It is only a prototype. And Xiaomi has mentioned the smart headband in the context of crowdfunded products.

Xiaomi mentioned the device in the context of recently crowdfunded products, so production does not seem impossible.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

Brainwave detection and monitoring technology is not new. Similar smarts are used in some professional sports such as rugby. Beyond that, there are devices that the rest of us can purchase.

Probably the most popular of the lot is Muse. This headband-style wearable is used as a meditation and sleep aid. Late last year we reviewed the latest generation of the product. Muse S has a bunch of sensors that monitor your heart rate, body movement and breath in addition to your brain. The device give feedback and is great to understand your mind and body’s response in real-time. 

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