OCZ is preparing to bring its Neural Impulse Actuator to market, saying production of its new brain-powered controller could begin as soon as next week.
Dubbed “nia,” the device appeared at the Consumer Electronics Show in January, where OCZ used it to control a character in Unreal Tournament. According to OCZ Vice President of Technology Dr. Michael Schuette, the controller works by reading “biopotentials” – activity in the brain, autonomous nervous system and muscles – captured by sensors located on the nia’s headband.
Users have a “reasonably fine granularity of control,” according to an Overclock3D report, and after a period of adjustment requires very little conscious thinking in order to use. Use of the device at its full potential will require significant amounts of training, but OCZ claims the nia can cut reaction times by as much as 60 percent over a conventional mouse controller.
OCZ’s Neural Impulse Actuator will be showcased at CeBIT, the world’s largest computer and technology expo, running from March 4-9 in Hannover, Germany. The controller is expected to launch at roughly $300, and will include detailed instructions on its effective use.
