Linux and Mac-friendly Python parser to connect and interact with multiple NeuroSky MindWave headsets from one machine.

This is the software used by Moonshot Lab at Barkley (http://moonshot.barkleyus.com/) for all of our internal MindWave projects.

A connection to the headset dongle is established by creating a new Headset object. Find the MindWave device(s) on your machine. On a Mac, it looks like this:

import mindwave

headset = mindwave.Headset('/dev/tty.MindWave', '625f')

Pass in the device path and the headset ID printed inside the battery case.

It's recommended to wait at least a couple seconds before connecting the dongle to the headset:

import mindwave, time

headset = mindwave.Headset('/dev/tty.MindWave', '625f')
time.sleep(2)

headset.connect()
print "Connecting..."

while headset.status != 'connected':
    time.sleep(0.5)
    if headset.status == 'standby':
        headset.connect()
        print "Retrying connect..."
print "Connected."

while True:
    print "Attention: %s, Meditation: %s" % (headset.attention, headset.meditation)

For the MindWave Mobile bluetooth headsets, it's unnecessary to use the connect() or disconnect() methods. If your operating system automatically creates a serial port for the bluetooth device, there's also no need to specify a headset ID. Just pass the serial device path as a parameter when you create a new Headset object and you're good to go.

The library can also auto-connect the dongle to the first available headset, rather than specifying a headset ID.

import mindwave, time

headset = mindwave.Headset('/dev/tty.MindWave')
time.sleep(2)
headset.connect()

Use headset.autoconnect() to auto-connect explicitly, regardless of whether or not a headset ID was specified.

The library can handle multiple devices used simultaneously.

import mindwave, time

h1 = mindwave.Headset('/dev/tty.MindWave', '625f')
h2 = mindwave.Headset('/dev/tty.MindWave2', 'a662')
time.sleep(2)

h1.connect()
print "Connecting h1..."
while h1.status != 'connected':
    time.sleep(0.5)
    if h1.status == 'standby':
        h1.connect()
        print "Retrying connect..."
print "Connected h1."

h2.connect()
print "Connecting h2..."
while h2.status != 'connected':
    time.sleep(0.5)
    if h2.status == 'standby':
        h2.connect()
        print "Retrying connect..."
print "Connected h2."

while True:
    print "Attention 1: %s, Meditation 1: %s" % (h1.attention, h1.meditation)
    print "Attention 2: %s, Meditation 2: %s" % (h2.attention, h2.meditation)

The library provides hooks for certain events to allow for the attachment of custom handlers.

def on_blink(headset, blink_strength):
    print "Blink detected. Strength: %s" % blink_strength

headset.blink_handlers.append(on_blink)

headset. device - The device path of the dongle on the system.

headset. headset_id - The ID of the connected headset.

headset. poor_signal - The "poor signal" reading of the headset connection. This indicates how poorly the headset is reading EEG waves, 0 being the best reading and 255 being the worst. Try readjusting the headset if this value is too high.

headset. attention - The last-read attention value from the headset.

headset. meditation - The last-read meditation value from the headset.

headset. blink - The last-read blink strength from the headset.

headset. status - The current status of the headset: connected, scanning, or standby

headset. connect ([headset_id]) - Connect to the specified headset ID. If no headset was specified, the dongle will auto-connect to the first available.

headset. autoconnect () - Auto-connect to the first available headset, regardless of any headset ID specified.

headset. disconnect () - Disconnect the dongle from the headset.

headset. poor_signal_handlers [] - Handlers are fired whenever a poor signal is detected. Expects handlers with the prototype my_function(headset, poor_signal) and passes in the current headset object and poor signal value.

headset. good_signal_handlers [] - Handlers are fired whenever a good signal is detected. Expects handlers with the prototype my_function(headset, poor_signal) and passes in the current headset object and poor signal value.

headset. attention_handlers [] - Handlers are fired whenever an attention value is received. Expects handlers with the prototype my_function(headset, attention) and passes in the current headset object and attention value.

headset. meditation_handlers [] - Handlers are fired whenever an meditation value is received. Expects handlers with the prototype my_function(headset, meditation) and passes in the current headset object and meditation value.

headset. blink_handlers [] - Handlers are fired whenever a blink is detected. Expects handlers with the prototype my_function(headset, blink_strength) and passes in the current headset object and blink strength value.

headset. connected_handlers [] - Handlers are fired whenever the headset is connected. Expects handlers with the prototype my_function(headset) and passes in the current headset object.

headset. notfound_handlers [] - Handlers are fired whenever the headset specified cannot be found. Expects handlers with the prototype my_function(headset, not_found_id) and passes in the current headset object and the headset id that could not be found.

headset. disconnected_handlers [] - Handlers are fired whenever the headset is disconnected. Expects handlers with the prototype my_function(headset) and passes in the current headset object.

headset. request_denied_handlers [] - Handlers are fired whenever a request to the dongle is denied (connect/disconnect/autoconnect). Expects handlers with the prototype my_function(headset) and passes in the current headset object.

headset. scanning_handlers [] - Handlers are fired whenever the dongle begins scanning for a headset. Expects handlers with the prototype my_function(headset) and passes in the current headset object.

headset. standby_handlers [] - Handlers are fired whenever the dongle goes into standby (not connected to a headset). Expects handlers with the prototype my_function(headset) and passes in the current headset object.