We tried to take OCZ's
Neural Impulse Actuator seriously, we really did. But unable to suppress those recurring images of
Geordi La Forge, we simply couldn't help ourselves from having a laugh at this thing's expense. Nevertheless, the way-more-solemn dudes and
dudettes over at
HotHardware managed to give this brain-computer interface a fair shake, and overall, it was pretty impressed. Still, the bottom line is this: "the NIA is a very unique input device and possibly the first true brain-computer interface to hit the retail market," but it's not "a replacement for traditional input methods." Granted, critics did point out that it would
supplement current devices quite well, but only after "slogging through" hours upon hours of training. The hardcore among us may be willing to put in the time necessary to really get a lot out of this; for everyone else, just continue to point and laugh while masking your ignorance.
posted Jul 21st 2008 6:13PM
In Soviet Russia the computer controls your brain....
Joking aside. There has been quite some research in the reverse process. Namely altering brainwaves. Now that is more scary.
Check this:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9506EFD81538F931A15755C0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1
YAYYYYY
No I can control these robotic snakes attached to my back.
AND KILL SPIDERMAN.
Hahahah! I liked that. Good one mano. :)
In Soviet Russia, "the Party" Controls the computer..
AHHHHHHH that was funny till I saw it was Flashpoint's comment.
If it was someone random I have never heard of, it would still be funny.
And you wonder why they still used voice commands in Star Trek.....
Star Trek isn't real. Surprisingly, it was actually filmed in a television studio during modern times and the characters' technologies were based on what writers imagined the future could be like. So the writers didn't think of it.
THANK YOU Captain Obvious.
It may seem silly now, but this technology is a game-changer. No more mice, no more touch pads, no more remote controls. We'll be telling our children about the days when you actually had to press buttons to change the channel or open files.
You mean you have to use your hands?
That's like a baby's toy!
Back to the Future reference FTW!
wild gunman FTW...
Elijah Wood sucks tho
Just tell me when I can get a port in the back of my neck. Thanks.
This is what we call first generation my friend. Remember how those huge room filling computers where like...well an Eee pc can beat one of those. Give it some more time. Before you know it, it'll become more responsive more brainwaves will be picked up and the super lazy age begins.
Dude, a 4 function calculator can out-perform one of the room-filling computers that you are talking about.
As far as this piece of tech goes, it would be fun to try out, but I don't think I could ever get used to it on a daily basis.
An EEE pc? Broli fails at product placement.
From the article:
"Don't get us wrong, controlling the computer hands-free with our mind sure sounds neat, but we really like our mice, keyboards and gamepads. Perhaps we're old fashioned but there is at least one member of the HotHardware team that thinks the keyboard and mouse are the only input devices you will ever need, well at least for the foreseeable future."
And there was a time when people wondered who could ever possibly need 1g of memory.
I think you mean 640Kb.
People with physical problems might benefit a lot from devices like this.
I was thinking along the same lines.
Combine this with the Voice Recognition built into Vista or other 3rd party ones and you could actually have a chance at a keyboardless environment. Not perfect of course, but you have to start somewhere.
Your new robot overlords will be controlled by frustrated paraplegics.
Exactly. If you've ever met someone with severe MS, Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson's, etc., you realize this can be a life-changing technology, versus the gimmick it'll be for most of us.
I think this could become big in the future, I mean the fact that this ACTUALLY works, despite the long learning curve to me is amazing.
You need to actually move muscles to activate the 3 sensors it has, people think you can just "think" something its not true you need to tense certain facial muscles for it to work.
its crap.
Actually there are 3 triggers controlled by thought in addition to the facial muscle and eye ones. Your reading skills are crap.
The article said the muscle sensor was just one of the ways to control it. RTFA.
did you actually read the Obama article in the New Yorker? ME NEITHER. shut up and act normal.
"very unique"
Ahem. 'Unique' is an absolute, nothing can be 'very' unique.
but they are soooooooooo out of style
:P
Creepy. D:
I wonder if the device would be more effective if the user was trained at a young age.
Okay. Can it distinguish when the weapons officer is thinking "Launch the ICBM" from when he's just "thinking about launching the ICBM"?
I Don't want to think about using this to control a real war...
"NO!!! I was only thinking about blowing up Washington, Ohhh, Heck, The Presidents going to be on my back for this one."
It would be good for an Israel Lebanon kind of dispute though.
"The hardcore among us may be willing to put in the time necessary to really get a lot out of this"
Disabled people, who don't have faster means of data entry, might be happy to have another input channel opened.