Machine that Allows Blowing Up Watermelons Using Your Mind

Chris and Brad from Louisville together with Kentucky-based hackerspace LVL1 arranged the Stars Wars Force Trainer, which is essentially an electroencephalograph (EEG) that scans the user's brain waves. As soon as the user reaches a specific level of concentration, the system sets off an action.

The initial Star Wars-inspired apparatus was merely able to activate a fan and push a ball up through a plastic tower. However, the device built by LVL1 and called Mind over Melon, allows users to engage their power of mind to make watermelons explode.

Here's how it works: the Force Trainer is connected to an air compressor, and the signal is received and processed by Arduino-based electronics. When the user's concentration level reaches a certain level, the compressor releases a burst of air which blows up the watermelon.

Mind over Melon was presented at Connect, a technology and art affair that took place at Bernheim Forest in Louisville.

[via LVL1]