Brains-On With the OCZ Technology NIA

Fraggers are accustomed to all-night firefights using the mouse and keyboard, but OCZ Technology looks to add a new dimension to the control scheme with its NIA–Neural Impulse Actuator. Available for $129 at Newegg.com, the NIA converts electroencephalograph signals into keyboard strokes/mouse movements that allow Windows XP and Vista users to play games using their biosignals. Naturally, we were skeptical of the NIA’s ability to allow us to control an aspect of our PCs without using our hands, but after installing the software, plugging the device into a notebook’s USB jack, donning the Cerebro-like headpiece, and utilizing a brief calibration tool, we were soon getting schooled by the CPU in a lively game of Pong, which is part of the software package. Our ineptitude with the game was definitely due to the rustiness than the NIA, as we were able to smoothly and accurately control our paddle (check out the video below in which we control the left paddle). The device is also compatible with a number of modern PC titles such as FarCry 2. But enough of the words–check out futuristic action in the clip below.