3 Amazing Brain/Mind Control Projects with LED Strips

Have you ever wanted to turn the lights ON or OFF just by thinking about it? Or do you want to know how stressed you are by looking at the color of a RGB led? While now you can by following this tutorials!

To get a feeling for what we are going to make today I recommend you first watch the youtube video above for a short Demonstration!

This tutorials actually exists of three projects that all use brain control. Yes that are three for the price of one!

The first project is the MoodLight. This project uses a RGB led to show your mental status. When you are very relaxed it is green, but when you become stressed it will turn red. This project needs the following:

1x Arduino Uno or Nano

1x Neurosky Mindwave headset

1x RGB common annode Led

3x N channel Mosfet

1x Visual Studio 2017

The second project is the Relay project. This project uses a Relay to turn a led ON or OFF just by thinking about it! Because it uses a Relay you can hook everything up to it. Your Lights, Your TV or even your coffee machine! For this project we need:

1x Arduino Uno or Nano

1x Neurosky Mindwave headset

1x 5v Relay

1x BC 547 Transistor

1x 5V LED

1x Visual Studio 2017

The third project is the Led Strip project. This project uses a WS2812 individueel addressable RGB Led Strip which will turn on more Led's and turn more Red how more stressed you become. For this project we need the following

1x Arduino Uno or Nano

1x Neurosky Mindwave headset

1x WSD2812 RGB Led Strip

1x Visual Studio 2017

1x Visual Studio 2017

This project uses the Mindwave RF version. You can buy it for example here:

1x Visual Studio 2017

This project uses the Mindwave RF version. You can buy it for example here:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/NeuroSky-MindWave-Headset-international-RF-version-EEG-sensor-for-Cognitive-Attention-and-meditation-neuro-feedback-training/32269885670.html?spm=2114.search0604.3.1.244e7510vBT6uO&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_3_10065_10068_10890_319_10546_317_10548_10696_453_10084_454_10083_10618_431_10304_10307_10820_537_536_10843_10059_10884_10887_100031_321_322_10103-10890,searchweb201603_51,ppcSwitch_0&algo_expid=432def56-a9dd-4ff9-a1ff-4e83fde2db68-0&algo_pvid=432def56-a9dd-4ff9-a1ff-4e83fde2db68https://www.aliexpress.com/item/NeuroSky-MindWave-Headset-international-RF-version-EEG-sensor-for-Cognitive-Attention-and-meditation-neuro-feedback-training/32269885670.html?spm=2114.search0604.3.1.244e7510vBT6uO&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_3_10065_10068_10890_319_10546_317_10548_10696_453_10084_454_10083_10618_431_10304_10307_10820_537_536_10843_10059_10884_10887_100031_321_322_10103-10890,searchweb201603_51,ppcSwitch_0&algo_expid=432def56-a9dd-4ff9-a1ff-4e83fde2db68-0&algo_pvid=432def56-a9dd-4ff9-a1ff-4e83fde2db68

So lets get Started!

Step 1: Setting Up the Connections

For all three projects we first need to setup the connection. We will do this with a little program called ThinkGearConnector.

To get started download all the code and drivers from the Github repository below:

https://github.com/sieuwe1/ArduMind

Also download the Mindwave pairing installer from here:

http://download.neurosky.com/updates/mindwave/education/1.1.28.0/MindWave.zip

Drivers

After downloading the Github repository unzip the ArduMind.zip file.

After that open the ArduMind folder and go to the Drivers folder.

Now plug in the Mind Wave reciever into your computer.

After that double click on the SETUP.EXE and install it.

Connection

After having installed the Drivers unzip the MindWave.zip file and run the installer still with the headset plugged in.

ThinkGearConnector

After having established the connection we can install the ThinkGearConnector.

From the ArduMind folder go to ThinkGear Connector > win32 and double click the ThinkGear Connector.exe with the headset still plugged in.

Getting the COM port

While the headset is still plugged in we need to get the comport of the MindWave headset. This is needed for step 2.

To get the COM port:

1 press windows key + x and select device manager

2 go to ports(COM&LPT)

3 then look for MindWave USB Adapter

By this name you can find the COM port. If you look at the image above you can see my COM port is COM8

Step 2: Setting Up Visual Studio

Now we can start with the Fun part!

First of all select which of the three projects you want: Moodlight, Led Strip or Relay.

I am going to choose the Relay project.

After having selected the project go to the ArduMind folder and then to: 3 Mind Control Projects > Relay Control > RelayControl C#.

Now double click on the HelloEEG.sln to open it in Visual Studio.

In the solution explorer on the right click on the HelloEEG.cs file.

In here search for line 30 and change:

connector.ConnectScan("COM3"); to the comport we found in step 1.

So for me:

connector.ConnectScan("COM8");

After this we can start with the hardware. But keep Visual Studio open because we will need it again!

Also unplug the Mindwave headset

Step 3: The MoodLight

For the Moodlight project we first have to make the electronics. You can find the schematic in the image above ^.

Make sure you are using a Common Annode LED.

For the mosfets I am using the RFZ44N.

After having made the electronics we need to upload the Code to the Arduino.

The code can be found in the ArduMind folder. Then go to 3 Mind Control Projects > Moodlight > Moodlight Arduino.

Now simply connect the Arduino and click the Upload button.

NOTE: If you are using a Arduino with a CH340G (A lot of chineese clones use these) you have to reinstall the original CH340G drivers because the Mindwave Adapter also uses this IC. After having reinstalled the original driver you can upload to your arduino again. After having uploaded the code reinstall the Mindwave Drivers again so that it will work for the last step of this tutorials

Step 4: The Mind Controlled Relay

For the Relay project we first have to make the electronics. You can find the schematic in the image above ^.

The relay I am using is a 5V SDR relay like in the image above.

The black wire that goes from the Transistor to the Relay and the Red wire that goes from the relay to the 5v both need to be connected on the relay to the coil pins. If you look at the image above these two wires have to be connected to pin 1 and pin 2 of the relay.

After having made the electronics we need to upload the Code to the Arduino. The code can be found in the ArduMind folder. Then go to 3 Mind Control Projects > Relay Control > RelayControl Arduino

Now simply connect the Arduino and click the Upload button.

NOTE: If you are using a Arduino with a CH340G (A lot of chineese clones use these) you have to reinstall the original CH340G drivers because the Mindwave Adapter also uses this IC. After having reinstalled the original driver you can upload to your arduino again. After having uploaded the code reinstall the Mindwave Drivers again so that it will work for the last step of this tutorials

Step 5: Mind RGB LedStrip

For the RGB ledstrip project we first have to make the electronics. You can find the schematic in the image above ^.

This schematic is fortunately very easy. Just make sure to connect the 5V and GND of the WS2812B to a separate 5V power supply.

Do not forget to connect the GND also to the Arduino's GND.

After having made the electronics we need to upload the Code to the Arduino. The code can be found in the ArduMind folder. Then go to 3 Mind Control Projects> LedStrip > LedStrip Arduino.

Now simply connect the Arduino and click the Upload button.

NOTE: If you are using a Arduino with a CH340G (A lot of chineese clones use these) you have to reinstall the original CH340G drivers because the Mindwave Adapter also uses this IC. After having reinstalled the original driver you can upload to your arduino again. After having uploaded the code reinstall the Mindwave Drivers again so that it will work for the last step of this tutorials

Step 6: The FINAL Step!!

For the final step we need to get the Com Port from the Arduino. This can be found very easily by using the Arduino IDE.

Go to tools and then port here you can see the COM port of the Arduino. If you look at the image above you can see I have COM20 for my Arduino.

Now go back to visual Studio and look for line 55 in the HelloEEG.cs file.

Change the COM port to your Arduino COM port.

So for me port = new SerialPort("COM8", 115200, Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One); should be changed to

port = new SerialPort("COM20", 115200, Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);

Now connect your Mindwave headset again. Turn the headset on and press the big Green arrow in visual studio to start the program!

Of everything went correct you now have your Mind Control project Finished!!! Great job!

Please Also check out my other Cool projects!

Common problems

Here are some common problems and how to fix them:

C# program says "No devices found! :("

1 Recheck the COM port for the Mindwave headset.

2 Check if ThinkGearConnector is running in the background. Otherwise restart ThinkGearConnector

3 Check if the neurosky headset has a Blue LED on.

4 Make sure you have installed the Mindwave Drivers and not the CH340G drivers.

C# crashes when connecting to Arduino

Recheck the Arduino COM port.

The Moodlight LED does not show the correct colors

Check the schematic again.

Replace the Mosfets.