Neural Impulse Actuator - The Future of Immersive Gaming

[grimfandang0]

Saw this article thought I would share, looks interesting -
"Sunnyvale, Calif.—March 3, 2008—OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory and components for enthusiasts and gamers, is pleased to announced the Neural Impulse Actuator (NIA) has begun mass production and launch into channel is imminent. A prototype was debuted last year at CeBIT 2007 which generated a newfound excitement in the global gaming community.

Neural Impulse Actuator - The Future of Immersive Gaming
OCZ saw an exciting opportunity to enhance the gaming experience and take PC gameplay to new heights. The NIA is not a replacement for a mouse but rather a pioneering new peripheral designed to provide an immersive experience for gamers. The NIA is the first commercially available BCI (brain-computer interface) specifically for PC gamers.

“Advances in hardware and software allow today’s games to offer consumers an exceptional entertainment experience, and we wanted to take the next step by immersing gamers into these environments with the innovative new NIA,” stated Ryan Petersen, CEO of the OCZ Technology Group. “The NIA radically changes the ways that gamers can interact and control elements within games, and can be configured in a matter of minutes for any game that is already published or will be released.”

The commands are easily assigned with the NIA’s user-friendly software and are calibrated based on the individual’s physiology and personal preferences. Each of the Actuator’s signals can be assigned to a specific keystroke on the keyboard or a mouse button; consequentially, gamers can run, jump, and fire faster all without “lifting a finger.” Because the NIA converts EEG (electroencephalograph) signals into specified keystrokes, the device can be used with any software. Upon proper configuration, the NIA will allow users to control PC games without the use of a keyboard and minimal use of a mouse.

The final version of the NIA uses a sleek metal housing, a USB 2.0 interface, and streamlined headband with carbon “dry” interface sensors. Due to the anticipation surrounding the release of the NIA, OCZ will be demoing the mass production device and begin accepting orders at the CeBIT 2008 in Hannover, Germany.

About the OCZ Technology Group, Inc.
OCZ Technology Group, a member of JEDEC, designs, develops and manufactures ground-breaking, high performance memory and computer components that set industry standards. OCZ products are the first choice for users needing high-reliability, ultra-high performance solutions. In 2007, PC Power & Cooling and Hypersonic PC were brought into the OCZ Technology Group, forming a well-rounded, highly innovative organization that places the company at the forefront of high-end computing. All of OCZ Technology Group's products are available through its worldwide network of distributors, online resellers and retail stores. For more information visit our website at www.ocztechnology.com ('http://www.ocztechnology.com/')"

[Xzin]

Just like the Wright Brothers, you have to start somewhere.

But this is far from hypersonic speed. Promising but underwhelming in the short term.

Long term? Plug me in.

[boxer]

If I conjure a mage table can I now end world hunger?

Or make someone destroy their computer through mind control on my priest?

[Chorizotarian]

Don't believe the hype. Trying to play a game via EEG will be like trying to type with your feet (only worse).

[Eteocles]

It's been said for years, "The man who invents the ability to punch people in the face over the internet will become the richest man alive."

We are one step closer to that goal. ;)

[Tehtsuo]

No screenshots, no technical specs, no substantive description.... So it's got a sleek housing, whatever that means. Details would be nice. Is it just a biometrics device? Cause I played around with one of those 10+ years ago. It plugged into a com port and you could play a game by trying to control your stress levels, etc. Hardly an accurate input device.

[Chorizotarian]

Sounds like a head-mounted EEG array. They read cortical electircal activity and use it to control a device. With appropriate feedback people (or monkeys) can learn to control a cursor on a screen, for instance. It takes a lot of practice though, and it doesn't offer anything like the precision of a mouse.

The problem is that you are trying to decode neural activation patterns through an extremely crude ensemble filter. It's great stuff if your goal is to restore some limited fuction to people who are paralyzed. Less great if you are trying to read the minds of able-bodied (relatively speaking) gamers.

[Xar]

This sounds really interesting.

I went and searched and found this video:

youtube video ('http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKd_AJUUT7Q')

Review ('http://www.legitreviews.com/article/475/1/')


I wonder how many unique actions can be bound to this unit? :P

[Vyndree]

Suvega's showed up last week and seems to be defective.

It reacts more to wriggling the USB cable than it actually does to your head. Either that or Suvega's braindead and my brain is constantly spazzing out.

I am tempted to see what it would start registering if I put the headband on my cat.

[Qlimax]

Im surprised it even arrived, Vyndree, I thought they would've stopped after you sent in the money ;P. Im sure you could edit the device yourself to react to certain movements or thoughts. If it doesn't work, best you can do is open it up and let your mind work with it physically >>.

( I lol @ the image of suvega with this headpiece concentrating on moving forward but all the screen does is have the cursor twitch ;P)

[Knobley]

Suvega's showed up last week and seems to be defective.

It reacts more to wriggling the USB cable than it actually does to your head. Either that or Suvega's braindead and my brain is constantly spazzing out.

I am tempted to see what it would start registering if I put the headband on my cat.Did you remember to put in the power crystals?

[Tehtsuo]

Suvega's showed up last week and seems to be defective.

It reacts more to wriggling the USB cable than it actually does to your head. Either that or Suvega's braindead and my brain is constantly spazzing out.

I am tempted to see what it would start registering if I put the headband on my cat.Did you remember to put in the power crystals?lol @ Napoleon Dynamite reference

I think cat playing would count as account sharing, but I wonder what a Blizzard account rep would say if you called em up and said "Please unban my account, I was just letting my cat play for a while"

[Vyndree]

I think cat playing would count as account sharing, but I wonder what a Blizzard account rep would say if you called em up and said "Please unban my account, I was just letting my cat play for a while"

But it's my minor dependant child!!


I seem to be more psychically inclined, as I CAN get the NIA to get the signal "look right". I can SOMETIMES get it to register "look left" but not with any consistency. The rest of the signals just all go mumbo jumbo-like.

[Gurblash]

I think you'd have more success using a headband to stick a Nintendo Wii controller to your head, and then just moving your head around.

I support this idea and have used my Wii mote to play games such as counter-strike, with a little bit of work this could be done... wanders off to the batcave to do some research.

[Freddie]

Devices that control games with EEG signals aren't new. They've been marketed for ten or maybe even fifteen years. What's different is that up till now, they were marketed primarily for neurofeedback, which means training brain frequencies for therapeutic or recreational reasons, and they worked only with games that came as part of the product. This might be the first one that comes with software that enables people to use it as a general purpose input device.

I used to write EEG software and I was part of a startup for a similar device about nine years ago. Our device looked pretty much like this one except it was a little bigger (older tech) and our electrodes were different. Another difference was that ours measured only EEG (brain voltages), whereas this one measures both EEG and EMG (muscle).

Back when I worked on this stuff, the big problem was electrodes. Brain voltages are tiny and it's hard to measure them through the skull and scalp. This is why, when you get an EEG in a doctor's office, they rub your scalp with abrasive paste (to remove dead skin cells) and glue the electrodes to your head with an electrolyte. This is too messy and cumbersome for gaming, but nobody could come up with a good cost-effective solution. I've never seen electrodes like the ones in OCZ's pictures, so maybe they're using something new that works a lot better than older stuff.

Muscle (EMG) signals are much stronger than brain (EEG) signals, so I'm not surprised that people in OCZ's forum seem to be finding it easier to control this device with muscles than with brain waves. Plus of course our nervous system is designed to produce muscle voltages on voluntary demand.

I agree with the comment about a Wii controller. I think that would work much better than this thing. Humans are hard-wired to communicate by nodding. Our muscles are adapted for that purpose, and it comes naturally. I think that would work great.

[Tehtsuo]

I agree with the comment about a Wii controller. I think that would work much better than this thing. Humans are hard-wired to communicate by nodding. Our muscles are adapted for that purpose, and it comes naturally. I think that would work great.Then "What is Love" by Haddaway comes on, and causes every alliance player in the game to run into lava/jump off a cliff/cast divine intervention on a forest critter.

[Freddie]

Lol. Good one. :)

[Freddie]

This gadget was reviewed today on Tech Report.

http://techreport.com/articles.x/14957