Heads-on with OCZ's Neural Impulse Actuator

If the Neural Impulse Actuator (NIA) from OCZ could really read thoughts, it'd be a little disappointed right now. In our short time with the "brain mouse" controller, we had some difficulty figuring out what exact "thoughts" did what, with our primary accomplishment being repeated backwards jumping motions while getting destroyed in a match of Unreal Tournament 3. To the NIA's credit, however, we could already tell that we were getting a bit of a sixth sense for the controller, and with the hour or so of recommended time for learning, we're sure we could be fragging with the best of them. "Brain mouse" is a bit of a misnomer, since we used the NIA in conjunction with a real mouse for actually looking around. NIA took over everything else, including strafing, jumping, running and even shooting if you concentrate just right. The unit seemed to primarily concern itself with our forehead muscle contractions, but other subtle motions seemed to come out of nowhere when we moved our eyes or concentrated just right. Just for novelty alone we'd say the NIA is worth that $300 pricetag, but we don't expect to be besting Fatal1ty with this strapped to our head.

Gallery: Heads-on with OCZ's Neural Impulse Actuator

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[Nathan @ Mar 4th 2008 3:23PM]

Heads-on, apply directly to the forehead!

[OneLove @ Mar 4th 2008 3:55PM]

come on think! think! cap-pow! blam! blam! melee? ouch!

[Aguiluz @ Mar 4th 2008 4:05PM]

HELL YEAH! I can remember hearing this song since I was 6, 10 years ago!

"Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin alive, stayin alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin alive."

He hee hee hee! That man looks plastick!

(Sorry for the crappy comment, I just like this!)

[Aguiluz @ Mar 4th 2008 4:06PM]

* "plastic", not "plastick"

[Arno @ Mar 4th 2008 4:50PM]

You made me laugh, thank you :)

[JuggleNuts @ Mar 4th 2008 3:25PM]

"Because I've ordered devices like that before, wasted a pretty penny, I don't mind tellin' ya! And if the NIA really works, I'll order a dozen!"

[Kamokazi @ Mar 4th 2008 4:43PM]

It's not a product Mr. Nuts, I'm not selling NIA's.

[me @ Mar 4th 2008 3:27PM]

RIP GARY

[broli @ Mar 4th 2008 3:27PM]

So basiclly you're paying 300$ for software because these a freshman electrical engineer can make thar circuit and it seems quite economic on materials.

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

-these*

[broli @ Mar 4th 2008 3:30PM]

Still has a typo O_o...You know you fail at life if you care about typos in comments and still manage to screw it up while trying to correct them.

[phanbouy @ Mar 4th 2008 3:37PM]

that picture is awesome... i'm considering using it as my avatar...

[Jesse S @ Mar 4th 2008 5:59PM]

NOOOO! If you lose the Macbook, we ALL LOSE!

[David @ Mar 4th 2008 3:48PM]

The thing that I wonder if this thing will wear you out (Mentaly and Physically) before you hit that 12 hour strat halo frag fest. "I think I can, I think I can........I thought I could, I thought I could..........WHEW!!!"

[sin0 @ Mar 4th 2008 3:57PM]

I stand by my opinion its a good thing this device does not control keyboard input as some past commentators desire... That's all I would need; my wife interrupting my game time by yelling at me to finally sell that junk in the garage, and I look down to find I've sold my entire MMO inventory and been kicked from the guild for calling the leader an annoying b*tch... ;p

[gibber9583 @ Mar 4th 2008 3:57PM]

My CPU is a neural-net processor, a learning computer

[chris leigh @ Mar 4th 2008 4:10PM]

- made me lol. :D ...'guild'!? ----wtf!!

Chris

[chris leigh @ Mar 4th 2008 4:11PM]

meant to reply to comment above! f*ckit!

[Rick @ Mar 4th 2008 4:04PM]

My brain hurts just thinking about this device.

[crawcraw @ Mar 4th 2008 4:08PM]

not only a mind mouse, but a chick magnet for sure. Wear it outside on the weekends! You'll have to fight them off with a stick.

Snoop Dogg laid back, with his mind on his mouse and his mouse on his mind.

[Zach @ Mar 4th 2008 4:30PM]

or more like, his mind IS his mouse..

[Rick @ Mar 4th 2008 4:08PM]

By the way:

I hope they had a means of cleaning/disinfecting the NIA between users. It can get powerful warm in the exhibition halls there.

[gblaze43 @ Mar 4th 2008 4:13PM]

Just think of the hack potential!!!

[Wastegate @ Mar 4th 2008 4:27PM]

Think Russian

[phanbouy @ Mar 4th 2008 4:31PM]

in Soviet Russia, mouse think *you*

[mattydread @ Mar 4th 2008 4:47PM]

How long until mainstream media claims this causes brain cancer in children? :p

[4.7onN20 @ Mar 4th 2008 5:02PM]

But it has mysterious electronic thingies in it. It must cause brain cancer.

[Russell @ Mar 4th 2008 6:07PM]

I'm not sure I want to actually control my character with it the way it sounds, but it would be really handy for other macro's or commands, like keying up in TS/vent or what ever you need to do while leaving your hands on wasd and the mouse.

[tekdemon @ Mar 4th 2008 6:59PM]

lol it's time to start practicing until you get so insanely good that you won't need a mouse at all. Enemies will appear on screen in games and they will just be immediately headshotted. You will become almost omnipotent in the world of FPS.

And then...you will challenge FATAL1TY without any hands.

[gargamel @ Mar 4th 2008 11:07PM]

cool. how fast can you make it respond in games ?
maybe good for some one handicapped for a resonable price compared to medical stuff.