BMW

Startup makes BMW iX Flow change color by thought

The BMW Group introduced the BMW iX Flow with E Ink at the Consumer Electronics Show 2022 in Las Vegas, a unique vehicle capable of changing its entire body color at the touch of a button. “We've made more improvements to the technology since its debut at CES,” reports Stella Clarke, BMW iX Flow project lead. “Previously, changes between color patterns occurred only in a gradual transition. Now, the control electronics have been tweaked to allow for instant transformations, leading to an even more impressive visual effect.”

Delegates to the BMW Group's radºhub dialogue platform had the opportunity to experience the BMW iX Flow's enhanced color changing abilities up close for the first time. The radºhub event, held at the Munich plant on 12-13 May, provides an open, interdisciplinary platform for sharing ideas between visionary thinkers and opinion leaders from around the world.

BMW iX Flow meets neurotechnology...Munich-based startup Brainboost has used the new and improved color shift effect in a unique collaboration with the BMW Group on the radhub, with the aim of raising awareness of mental health. With the help of Brainboost, the BMW iX Flow was directly connected to the brains of the radhub representatives using an electroencephalogram (EEG), which records electrical activity. “The color patterns of the BMW iX Flow react to brain activity and reflect the level of activity,” explains Philipp Heiler, CEO of Brainboost. "When the brain is at rest, the pattern changes in iX Flow also become calmer and more rhythmic." A special animation was activated if the reps were able to maintain this state for several seconds. Thus, participants were able to gradually calm down and relax their brains under the guidance of Brainboost experts and with neurofeedback adjustment through iX Flow. This matures the knowledge about which strategies work best to turn off one's brain activity for relaxation, for example, in everyday work.

Technology behind the color change...The body of the BMW iX Flow is laminated in a special film containing millions of color capsules. When stimulated by electrical signals, negatively charged white or positively charged black pigments accumulate on the surface, thus altering the exterior color. By allowing you to change the body color and present different patterns, the BMW iX Flow with E Ink opens up a new way of personalizing the driving experience.

About Brainboost...Brainboost startup was founded with a mission to make mental fitness and health accessible to as many people as possible. The interdisciplinary team is fully specialized in conditioning and mental health, offering training courses, coaching sessions and corporate health management measures in this area, while conducting research and software development. Brainboost uses neuroscience fundamentals and data-driven measurement techniques - primarily EEGs, to measure electrical activity in the brain - for enlightenment and prevention purposes, as well as to improve quality of life and mental performance.

About radºhub...Since 2016, radºhub has been providing a unique platform to openly share ideas, creative moments, innovative ideas and inspiring connections. The purpose of this dialogue-focused event format is to push boundaries, bring together influencers with ideas and encourage dialogue between visionary thinkers and opinion leaders from around the world. The interdisciplinary exchange inside and outside the company creates a space to discuss the challenges of future mobility, and together, develop a range of possible solutions.

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