Uncle Milton does it again with this Star Wars “The Force” Trainer. Due out in just under 2 months (link leads to a massive countdown clock for the UM Star Wars Science launch), this toy is set to revolutionize the industry. It also kind of gives me the willies.
The Force Trainer has two pieces – the first is a headset equipped with dry EEG sensors (a technology developed by NeuroSky…a name just a little too similar to SkyNet for my tastes). The sensors actually read your brainwaves and then relay that information to a fan inside the toy itself. The idea? The harder you concentrate, the more control you have over the fan. The fan lifts a lightweight ball in the toy, letting you then “control” the rise and fall of the ball.
I am not making this up.
The Force Trainer has 15 training levels and built-in voice guidance from Yoda, your Jedi Master. It’s expected to cost between $90 and $130 (seriously?! that’s it?! are brain wave sensors that cheap?!).
The rest of the Star Wars Science line will clock in at a reasonable $25-$45 price point and includes an optics teaching tool, a Darth Vader Robotic Arm, a Naboo Sea Creatures set (I wonder if they’re all really annoying?), a Dagobah Frog Habitat, a Jedi Telescope, a Jedi Projector and a Mustafar Volcano Kit.
So, how long before The Force Trainer replaces beer pong as the drinking game of choice amongst college students?
I checked it out and am disappointed. I thought that the robot arm would be an accessory for the mind trainer headset. I imagined that, after you learned to control the first toy, you could move on to controlling the robot arm and other things. Nope. All the other things in the line are just rebranded old science type toys like terrariums and stuff.