OCZ Prepares Neural Impulse Actuator for Shipping

An anonymous reader writes "Technology review site Overclock3D has received word that OCZ Technology is putting their neural impulse actuator (NIA) into mass production for shipping next week. The device, aimed at gamers, works by reading biopotentials. 'These include activities of the brain, the autonomous nervous system and muscles — all of which are captured using embrace sensors located on the NIA's headband, amplified and sent to the PC via USB 2.0.' Users of the NIA will be able to control their in-game movements using only the power of mind. The device is priced at around $600USD"

Comments

DirectX better be thread safe...

[Onetus]

Insert obvious joke about Blue-Screen of Death here.

This would be great,

[gijoel]

If I didn't have to think in Russian.

non-gaming application

[Corpuscavernosa]

The online porn experience would be greatly simplified.

I love gaming as much as anyone...

[Anonymous Coward]

While many professional gamers spend many hours every day for several years training these reflexes

but that makes even me chuckle.

bioptentialsisnotaword

[evanbd]

Bioptentials is not a word. There are plenty of words they could have used, there was no need to make one up.

So what happens

[Velocir]

When you're playing Battlefield 1942 and you see a tank shell coming for your face? I find it very hard to believe this kind of technology will be able to interpret the "OH SHIT" reflex accurately...

Re:Pitfalls?

[SirSlud]

Reports suggest that some side effects due to haphazard "electrical signals" result in the user asking mindbogglingly stupid questions.

Re:April Fools!?

[PopeRatzo]

Seriously. I just can't imagine that this could possibly work better than keyboard/mouse setup.

Next thing, they're gonna tell us you'll be able to play video games by waving a little stick at the screen.

Re:Uses for this technology

[Mathness]

Use a headband (perhaps hidden in your hat) to control the interface ... 1940 called, they want you back. :p

The article is wrong...

[adamchou]

From TFA... "the OCZ neural impulse actuator doesn't use electrode cream, which is a good thing because the last thing gamers would want to do is lube up before playing their favorite game."

They clearly haven't tested it with this game yet...

Re:Uses for this technology

[AnotherUsername]

Man...banner ads with sound and porn/viagra spam beamed directly into my head. And I thought it was bad now...

Power of the mind?

[reboot246]

Users of the NIA will be able to control their in-game movements using only the power of mind.
'Tis a shame some won't be able to play. :)

Re:If it has API - it will ROCK

[dubl-u]

If it has API it will rock as a secondary input system to mouse. You will be able to scroll through text/code just by looking, switch windows, copy paste - it has an enormous potential.

An enormous potential FOR EVIL, that is. The Escape Meta Alt Control Shift people are bad enough already. They'll go crazy with this, and I don't mean good-crazy-like-that-hot-barista-with-all-those-tattoos crazy. Running the compiler's going to be "control meta think_about_puppies think_about_hot_wings C" by the time they're done with it.

A number of prominent EMACS users already have permanent wrist damage from all those modifier keys. If they release an API for this thing, there'll be a whole new generation of people with repetitive mind stress injuries.

You heard it hear first.

Re:If it has API - it will ROCK

[markov_chain]

Dude what are you talking about. I just let arthritis freeze my pinky permanently pressing down the Control key (mapped to Caps Lock, of course), making Emacs use a breeze. It's the opposite of damage!