OC3D Exclusive Review: OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator (nia) - The Log

[JN]

The OCZ nia is finally here and Overclock3D has been lucky enough to receive one of the first retail samples. Over the next month we'll be taking you through our experiences with the device. But for now - Day 1.

OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator (nia) Review

and dont forget to DIGG IT

 

[Bungral]

Awww man I'm still a touch gutted I couldn't make it there mate

Looks like good annoying fun.

I'll look forward to the updates. I just really want to see in a couple of months the videos people post up so we can really get an idea of what this is capable of in a game. Also hearing other experiences of how people have learned to practice certain functions and control all the different "brainfingers" at once.

 

[ionicle]

that looks mind boggling:crazy::crazy::crazy:

kinda fun though...

hmmm

i dunno what to make of it though tbh..

 

[Nick R]

It would be interesting to see what you can do with a little more experience to be honest. I'd imagine the more you use it the more advanced functions you would be able to use. Maybe even ditch the mouse for just desktop use?

 

[llwyd]

With experience you could control the brainfingers I think, and they could be used in game for click / key functions but they are nowhere near complex enough to allow fluid movement or aiming or moving of cursors. That may come one day soon but I think that's the mistake a lot of people will be making when they go to buy one.

With plenty of practice it would become near subconscious I think, but I cannot see how it would be a viable piece of gaming gear yet, you would need to be playing in a sealed pod with 0 distraction and an epic attention span. Otherwise one grin or glance at your watch and you'll shoot a team mate in the back.

 

[mrapoc]

dugg and what can I say!? If only i coulda drove up xD

 

[Jaster]

Nice work, glad your doing ongoing investigations with it. If a monkey can learn to disassociate its limbs whilst using something similar I'm sure its only a matter of practice and configuration before the full brunt of what can be achieved with this product is apparent (Youtube Monkey Brain Control to see what I mean). Just think of the years of biomechanical work you have to unlearn first though, I've been using a keyboard/mouse/gamepad since the heady days of the commodore 16+4 so just under 30 years to retrain...thats gonna be difficult...but I'm sure the younger generations will pick it up in a snap...its also nice to see optimization for multi-core cpu's as well...got a feeling though theres gonna be plenty of software updates as I can see the software requiring a good tinkering...hoping I get me mitts on one this week

 

[llwyd]

Nice work, glad your doing ongoing investigations with it. If a monkey can learn to disassociate its limbs whilst using something similar I'm sure its only a matter of practice and configuration before the full brunt of what can be achieved with this product is apparent (Youtube Monkey Brain Control to see what I mean). Just think of the years of biomechanical work you have to unlearn first though, I've been using a keyboard/mouse/gamepad since the heady days of the commodore 16+4 so just under 30 years to retrain...thats gonna be difficult...but I'm sure the younger generations will pick it up in a snap...its also nice to see optimization for multi-core cpu's as well...got a feeling though theres gonna be plenty of software updates as I can see the software requiring a good tinkering...hoping I get me mitts on one this week

Yea, if you think about it we have had years and years learning to use our fingers. It's not as if we have to think something specific to make them move, we just move them. I think jumping straight into games is the perfect way to get frustrated with it. You need to assign anything you struggle with to a function you will use just around the desktop, like right click. Eventually it would become second nature and would be usable in games.

 

[Jaster]

I'm thinking that the first game I am going to seriously give it a test with is something with very little in terms of actual inputs....I'm thinking trackmania...accelerate, brake, left and right...cant get more simple then that...break myself in easy...its gonna be do-able...if i can use to learn a wii-remote/dance-matt (although the knees did seem to give up after 15 mins)/and the guitar hero controller Its just a matter of practice albeit in a different sense...

 

[[Ins]]

This device is weird and fascinating all at the same time.

Some initial thoughts are:

1. Positioning the headband as close to your eyebrows as you can seems to increase the ability to use the "glance" function.

2. Controlling the Alpha and Beta bars feels at time random, but then at other times I feel as if I have it under control. I can now raise all of the bars and lower them, but still cannot raise or lower individual bars.

3. The muscle functions are the easiest to work with, so clenching your teeth or raising your eyebrows always gets an immediate reaction.

4. There seems to be a lot of tweaking that you can do in order to calibrate the device. I'm know to be one that likes to fiddle with settings and configs until the cows come home, so how long I spend in these windows remains to be seen.

I'm looking forward to testing this device, but agree with previous comments made. In order to realise the true performance, it's going to take patience and time to get the "knack" of it. However, it should be an interesting month!

 

[equk]

really cool article

I like the videos, more reviews with videos ftw!

 

[llwyd]

2. Controlling the Alpha and Beta bars feels at time random, but then at other times I feel as if I have it under control. I can now raise all of the bars and lower them, but still cannot raise or lower individual bars.

Interesting because I found that I could control individual ones, but with no particular technique. I almost had to go into a trance to do it. To move them all I basically had to go braindead.

 

[Jaster]

Interesting because I found that I could control individual ones, but with no particular technique. I almost had to go into a trance to do it. To move them all I basically had to go braindead.

Maybe its a test to see whom has the most telthapaticaly empathatic brain, or maybe it just shows us who has more control over there faculties on a subconcious level, and maybe just maybe this may train us in such a way that psychics and telekenesis may become more apparent, maybe I need a coffee, and maybe I'm nuts...probably

 

[ali_james]

Nice work so far guys

Looking forward to the rest of the results. Get the feeling that as this is the first of its type that its going not be perfect in terms of function but in a few years this kind of device could be the norm.

 

[mVp24]

this is freaky

good review but i fear the NIA

 

[Jaster]

Get mine today...should be interesting ....will post some video's and stuff when I get the chance

 

[JN]

Get mine today...should be interesting ....will post some video's and stuff when I get the chance

If you need anywhere to host them or anything converted into flash movies, just drop me a PM mate.

Maybe we could even start a nia User Log thread on the forums??

 

[Jaster]

If you need anywhere to host them or anything converted into flash movies, just drop me a PM mate.

Maybe we could even start a nia User Log thread on the forums??

Yeah thats a good idea mate...its my better half I feel will have most of the time to hone her skills with it...she spends her time looking after our 9 month old...which would be interesting to see an average user using it,and maybe a baby too (no its not child abuse its scientific progress) when I'm set up mate I'll PM you...was also thinking of setting up a NIA only trackmania server....

 

[JN]

Yeah thats a good idea mate...its my better half I feel will have most of the time to hone her skills with it...she spends her time looking after our 9 month old...which would be interesting to see an average user using it,and maybe a baby too (no its not child abuse its scientific progress) when I'm set up mate I'll PM you...was also thinking of setting up a NIA only trackmania server....

I've beat you to that one I'm afraid mate. Tried it on my 4yr old daughter at the weekend. Got no reaction at all out of it. I think the position of the sensors on the headband is not suitable for smaller heads

PS: No children were hurt during the filming of this review.

 

[Jaster]

so i'm not the only one who has a *unique* parenting aproach...lol...