OCZ set to launch Neural Impulse Actuator "brain mouse"

It's certainly not the first to toy around with mind control as a means of fun and games, but OCZ looks like it may be among the first to actually get a product out the door, with it now set to launch its Neural Impulse Actuator "brain mouse," or NIA for short. According to Daily Tech, the device makes use of a combination of EEG readings, muscle movement, and eye movement to control a given application which, in this case, is mainly intended to be games. Needless to say, the contraption will take a little getting used to, but OCZ says that most users will get the hang of it "within hours" after a little practice, and that they'll eventually even be able to increase their reaction time compared to a standard mouse. You'll also not surprisingly need a fairly decent PC, as the NIA has been designed specifically for multi-core systems, and a good bit cash to spare, with it set to run $300 when it launches sometime in the not too distant future (it's going into production next week).

[Camper @ Mar 3rd 2008 4:13PM]

"It's not auto-aim, I have a brain mouse!"

-Accused Cheater in CS:S

[JimReaper @ Mar 3rd 2008 4:26PM]

I want a 360 Version!

[Tom Oldfield @ Mar 3rd 2008 4:32PM]

Any vids?

[Armoured @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:46PM]

here's a vid of a guy playign UT with his brain. only the mouse is used to look aroudn though
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKd_AJUUT7Q

[BrettB @ Mar 3rd 2008 4:33PM]

I don't want to fall into the trap of hyperbole here, but this may be the absolutely coolest thing ever...if it works. Even though they are touting this for games, the idea of surfing the net by just looking at the screen and thinking about what I want to do next is awesome. Don't know if it will work like that, but if it does, I'll be begging my wife for one.

[PeterF @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:09PM]

haha are we really getting too lazy to move a mouse?

[Abuzar @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:11PM]

"Thinking about what I want to do next"

Interactive porn!!!

[Bad Beaver @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:14PM]

Dude, if it works like that, all you're going to get from your wife is a divorce ;)

[phanbouy @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:42PM]

he must be getting some Bad Beaver

[Abuzar @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:50PM]

lol I know that's horrible!

That's like imagining you're having sex... but you're not.

[phanbouy @ Mar 3rd 2008 4:34PM]

Nia must be Neo's new girlfriend in the Matrix.

[letuotter @ Mar 4th 2008 1:33AM]

"You'll also not surprisingly need a fairly decent PC, as the NIA has been designed specifically for multi-core systems, and a good bit cash to spare, with it set to run $300 when it launches sometime in the not too distant future (it's going into production next week)."

Woah, okay, that sentence hurts the brain. Reads better as:

"You'll also (not surprisingly) need a fairly decent PC, as the NIA has been designed specifically for multi-core systems; and a good bit cash to spare, with it set to run $300 when it launches sometime in the not too distant future (it's going into production next week)."

[wickedpheonix @ Mar 3rd 2008 4:45PM]

$300?!

Three hundred dollars?!

Bring it down a bit, I am definitely intrigued but you know there is also that Novint Falcon out already and that can be found for half of this with a little effort... and that's a seriously awesome input device too.

[bartoron @ Mar 3rd 2008 4:54PM]

Now I can headshot people while masturbating with both hands!

[OrBiTaL @ Mar 10th 2008 10:04PM]

"..., and that they'll eventually even be able to increase their reaction time compared to a standard mouse."

I wouldn't decrease the reaction time instead of increasing it ?

[Johan S @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:14PM]

With some training, kids can probably learn to type documents, use the UI to open files they need instantly, and play FPS games etc efficiently with this sort of neural interface. To them, it'll be just as easy as our brains send signals to our hands to type or move a mouse .. they'll learn to do this like second nature. As adults, without some neural enhancing treatment or something, it's probably harder for us to learn to do it and we'll be clumsy .. just like some older people who learnt typing in adult life.

[DWells55 @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:17PM]

Okay, since this is possible, I want a cyborg hand like Luke Skywalker had, and I want it now.

[Yi Lu @ Mar 4th 2008 10:14AM]

This is a miracle product for people with carpel tunnel.

[Maztec @ Mar 3rd 2008 5:46PM]

This really seems to be a fancy five button mouse to me. I doubt it is refined enough to do more than get an idea of directional input that results in a key press for that direction [one of five]. I doubt you could type with this, unless you are using it to move arrows over set characters and hit them - on screen keyboard.

I would love for it to do more, but just don't see it happening immediately.

Anyway, I don't know how many other people notice this, but I don't type in letters or words anymore. I type with sentences. My fingers know how to spell better than I do . . . really frustrating at times.

[phanbouy @ Mar 3rd 2008 6:08PM]

"My fingers know how to spell better than I do"

I'll have what he's having...

[joe @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:46PM]

Ya, my fingers do the same thing (unfortunately they often spell things wrong :)).

I do hope that this thing comes down in price, and that it does do the whole keyboard thing. That would be sweet for coding, not having to remember which number is the #, or trying to reach the ()

[Edward Nardella @ Mar 3rd 2008 6:30PM]

Count me disappointed. A device like this should do its own processing particularly for a price like that. Look at TrackIR V.S. FreeTrack if one of these comes out that doesn't eat CPU cycles then I am game, otherwise unless I get an uber-8-core-PC count me out.

[proud Dad @ Mar 3rd 2008 11:50PM]

I'd be interesting in giving this a try!

http://nobosh.com/

[crawcraw @ Mar 4th 2008 1:59PM]

The commies will use this to hack into our bodies and steal our bodily fluids.

[sin0 @ Mar 4th 2008 3:28PM]

You remind me of Firefox, no not the browser... the cheese-irific Clint Eastwood movie circa 1982 where he steals the Russian Fighter Jet that is controlled through thought; you remember now, and the climax when he almost gets wasted because he forgets to think 'fire missile' in Russian.

If this thing could do keyboard functions I could see some unfortunate effects. Wife interrupts your game time by yelling at you to finally sell that junk in the garage, and you look down to find you have just sold your entire MMO inventory and been banned from your guild for calling the leader a g*dd*mn annoying b*itch. =D

[$300? @ Jun 19th 2008 5:42AM]

Would rather spend half the money on a decent mouse and gaming mousemat - I can't see this taking off into the competitive market :)

[ChrisSz @ Nov 11th 2008 3:29PM]

The price on this has already dropped to below $100 with instant savings and a rebate. Check it out at NewEgg if you really want to give this a try.