Power Authority

The intensity at which an onscreen cyclist rides is controlled by the viewer's brainwaves.

Brainwaves are one of the ways in which our mental activities become physical. When neurons fire, an electrical impulse is generated and this creates an electromagnetic field. The frequency of these neurons firing can be read with sensors that detect these fields.

It is very difficult for most people to control their brainwaves. Brainwaves, like heartbeats, sweating, etc., are not controlled by the conscious mind. Even though the viewer is controlling the cyclist, it's not in a volitional way. Unlike Stanley Milgram's experiments, in this scenario, nobody is actually in control.

Thanks to Yahoo! for funding equipment purchases for this project.