BioData-Interfaces

Here you will find information about different BioData-Interfaces and how you can use them. Keep an eye on the ECT Blog as well : https://pong.hku.nl/blog/ The different BioData interface that we are in the process of researching are:

• Bitalino
• Heartlive
• Muse brain-computer interface
• BrainWave brain-computer interface with BrainOSC
• Myo (See Myo-OSC)
• Webcam for heartbeat detection (webcam pulse detector)
• Eye tracking
• Manus VR

Using (web)Cam for heartbeat detection

Using https://thearn.github.io/webcam-pulse-detector/ as starting point we researched how you could use this in a live interactive installation.

• The webcam-pulse-detector works with Python3
• As dependencies you need to install:
  • openCV2 pip3 install opencv-python
  • Matplotlib python3 -mpip install matplotlib (https://matplotlib.org/faq/installing_faq.html)
• You need to keep your head still for calibrating
• It is unclear how accurate it is

Using this fork you can also send out the pulse as OSC message.

Eye tracking

We tested eyetracking using the Tobii eyeX. First thing to note is that this tracker ONLY works with Windows. So you need to use it with a Windows computer. To start install the Tobii Eye Tracking Core Software you can then play around with the suplied software to see how the tracking works.

To use the eyetracking data in other software you can use:

• Processing library: https://github.com/AugustoEst/gazetrack
• Openframeworks addon: https://github.com/TatsuyaOGth/ofxTobiiEyeX

You can then either use the data in Processing or OpenFrameworks(OF) or sent it from Processing/OF via OSC to the software of your choice that supports OSC.

For Open Source (but not free) eye tracking take a look here: https://pupil-labs.com/

Manus VR

To use Manus VR you need to have a software license to integrate the gloves for example with Unity. At the moment we do not have access to this so we could do not further tests with the device.

MYO

The possibilities of using a Myo are well documented.

• You can take a look ate the official developer portal here: https://developer.thalmic.com/ (deprecated)

• You can find a simple MYO to OSC tool here: https://github.com/hku-ect/Myo

• You can find the github of the Thalmic Labs Myo here: https://github.com/thalmiclabs

• Update 2024: we succesfully connected Myo via https://github.com/iomz/dl-myo (Dongle-less Myo : Python script)

Getting in Bitalino data and sending it over OSC

A Python script to get in the Bitalino data, and send it over OSC.

Tested on Mac OS Sierra, and with Python 3.7 and libraries mentioned here: https://github.com/BITalinoWorld/revolution-python-api

Code from there is updated to work with Python 3.7, and an example + Max OSC receiver example is included.