nia Game Controller

"Futuristic gameplay has arrived: plug the Neural Impulse Actuator (NIA) into our computer and strap on the headband, which reads biosignals. I was sceptical at first and assumed that the facial muscles were doing all the work but after some practise and calibration you realise that this is indeed picking up on electrical signals and responding in turn. You can train your computer to read a combination of eye movement and facial nerves to move your character onscreen instead of using a keyboard or mouse."

"Through a series of neural sensors that can read your brain activity, as you would an electrocardiogram with your heart, we can handle any game. The device also incorporates the movement of the eyes and facial muscle activity, but for now we need a few extra mouse functions."

“The build quality of the device is very sturdy, and the black brushed aluminium casing adds up to a rather niche stylish gadget. The results we got after a couple of weeks were mind blowing to someone who had not seen or heard of the NIA – we were actually moving the paddle in Pong with our mind! OCZ without doubt sparked a remarkable technological achievement here.”

“Shape, weight, cable and especially the rubber surface give the feeling that you have a high quality product in your hands. The software has positive features, especially as far as the processing of the scripts are concerned, as well as other applications in the field of the profiles. The design form provides a pleasant feeling, even after prolonged use. The OCZ Behemoth is a solid gaming mouse and can match the more expensive models in the market. Ultimately, the OCZ Behemoth is well worth the money and worth considering to purchase.”

Check out the video special Fox News Los Angeles did on "mind-reading headsets", featuring OCZ's nia!

“Is this the future of gaming peripherals? Let’s not set the bar so low. Is this the future of human-computer interaction? Now that’s more like it! NIA is a fairly unremarkable looking black box quickly made interesting by the addition of a headband with three carbon nanofibre-based sensors. Each sensor measures specific body information: impulses in the brain, reflexes of the eyes, and muscular contractions in the face. In essence the NIA acts as a portable electroencephalogram, electro-myogram and electrooculogram. After a tricky start, we finally got to see some independent movement…certainly impressed us with the performance."

"Control games with your thoughts and facial gestures and PC users with temporary or permanent physical limitations can play. I find the NIA a real bargain for the biggest technological breakthrough that I have tried so far, costing just € 117."

“Responsive and resourceful, the NIA recognizes the movements of your facial muscles perfectly, after a period of learning. Fortunately, calibration software and a little game help you familiarize yourself with the NIA. The maintenance of the helmet is excellent. It is amazing that OCZ offers a new device at a price so attractive!”

“View entire video review”

“Let me show you the hottest of the hottest out there on the gaming market at the moment, you have never seen anything like it before. It can replace the keyboard and changes the way you coordinate characters while gaming. Where you traditionally use different buttons on your keyboard to move around, here you use the headband alone. The only thing I am using the mouse for is directions. The device registers muscular, eye movements and electronic waves.”

"FPS games have been revolutionized with the introduction of the NIA. You can also assign mouse movements to your controls, to use in addition to the NIA. With the development of this technology, the use of the mouse can be overcome. A few years ago, if you told me that the characters in this game you play me with could be controlled by brain waves and even reflex without any loss of time, I would not have believed you. But now all possible with the NIA. To go into a FPS game, a game to control the characters in a pilot or a rally, you can live the excitement of having a single control that can be the NIA. Editor's Choice, NIA - 9/10"

"Even though we have been playing with NIA for three weeks, we are still very far from claiming that we have mastered all of its capabilities. However, despite the difficult training pathway, this technology is most promising. Logic dictates that, the more these devices will improve, the more the number of companies becoming active in this field will increase and the more our knowledge on brain activity will broaden, the easier and better things will become. We just hope that we will still be around to witness the moment when all computer commands will be given mentally."

“Mind over matter. Well, mind over electrons. It’s the holy grail of gaming. Split-second reactions allowing you totally humiliate those poor opponents who still use crazy outdated technology like keyboard and mouse. Despite all sorts of prototypes and promises such mind control has never make it into the mainstream market. That is of course until OCZ finally released the NIA. In the simplest form the NIA is a whole new type of interface between you and your PC. Intriguing technology but be prepared to put in the hard yards to learn to get the best of it.”

"It has to be, by far, the most revolutionary product in some time to appear in the computer industry. Further, it does everything it claims to do. But, it’s by no means and out of the box product. If you get a NIA, be ready to learn, practice, and have both fun and frustration in the process. And we feel that the price tag is more then fair, considering what this device can do right now, and will be able in the future. We sincerely feel that, although there's no competition to this device, NIA fully deserves our Editor's Choice award. It's by far the most radical and advanced device we've used in quite awhile and working flawlessly at the same time. Two thumbs up for OCZ!"

"We are entering a new era of human machine interaction and Myo-electric control is certainly on the cards as a viable solution. For those who want to get in early on a piece of technology that works and is affordable, I can recommend an NIA to you. Just be prepared to spend time using it to get the most out of it."

“The OCZ neural impulse actuator seems to come out of a science fiction movie. It is a pioneering gaming device that allows you to feel the future of gaming today! The nia behavior is very much up to the user, you get better with training and we have heard of several people already mastering first person shooters and other games which we didn’t because we only tested it for a short period of time. This device is attractive for first person shooters because of its response time but also for amateurs that just like playing around with the latest gadgets. The OCZ nia is simply a hot device!”

“So here's where we land at the most innovative gadget of the year as far as I'm concerned. The NIA is one of the most original devices in a long time to make its way onto the shelves of retailers. the NIA definitely brings new functionality to the table. OCZ without doubt sparked a remarkable technological achievement here. When it works, it's a heck of a lot of fun. OCZ NIA is a very interesting product and has to be the most innovative product of this year. Once you are able to navigate through a game level with the power of your mind, it's really something else though, almost a mystical experience. The fun factor, the overall experience is grand. It's so original that it will receive an editor choice award. The idea of controlling games with brain and facial muscle power is just exhilarating, thrilling, weird and fun at the same time. That by itself makes the product pretty interesting."

“The future has suddenly arrived! I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. OCZ claims an average gamer can use the product well after a couple of hours training, which I can confirm. To master the nia I trained more intense and it opened up a whole new world for me in the games I played. I am surprised about how well the nia works and how awesome gaming is going to be for me who loves FSP games. I am extremely pleased with the OCZ nia which just works extremely well and will change your gaming experience! For the price you get a lot for your money and future games will be completely different when you play it with the nia – believe me!”

“Readers of AKIBA / PC Watch online voted OCZ NIA as the most creative gadget on the market in 2008!”

“OCZ Equalizer are targeting gaming market and we recommend OCZ Equalizer for its superior speed. Both models are suitable not only for gamers but also for casual users – even office users will be fully satisfied”

“Only in science fiction films might you see such a technology that you believe is true. Using brain power to control characters in the game is something we could only dream of until now. You either go to a film to see this, or OCZ have made our dreams come true. Briefly referred to as NIA or Neural Impulse Actuator, this is a revolutionary device that makes play through without touching the keyboard and mouse possible. NIA has a very simple appearance of the brain alpha and beta waves spread, the movement of facial muscles and eyes to detect and I can put commands into the game.”

“The ultimate goal for gaming control is, arguably, complete and direct enactment of intention through thought alone. With the introduction of OCZ Technology’s Neural Impulse Actuator, PC players are at least inching towards this shining ideal. The reward for dedicated application, however, is a substantial and noticeable drop in reaction times as the traditionally exercised neuron loops are removed from the equation. With twitch shooters a cornerstone of PC gaming and tournament jackpots ever increasing, the allure of such guaranteed performance enhancement will inevitably make the NIA well worth the asking price for a certain.”

"It’s hard to explain the whole experience. It’s really bizarre to shoot your virtual gun by making faces at the screen or guiding your gunslinger by either relaxing your thoughts or getting 'angry'. How about to dodge an incoming missile by looking to the side? You really feel in the game – the immersion is way bigger than the conventional keyboard and mouse experience. An observation is in order: OCZ states that the NIA doesn’t replace the keyboard and mouse, but in fact it adds to the game play enjoyment. Of course OCZ deserves kudos for developing the NIA. That is no small scientific and engineering feat. It’s a great and revolutionary product that will amass some die-hard fans. It feels like if one day we will truly control a videogame with our minds, the device will be heralded by its maiden achievement with due respect."

"...Once this state is achieved, you realize that the NIA is not so far from reading your thoughts. It doesn’t read them, actually. But you do get the feeling that it does! This feeling can’t be described – you have to feel it yourself. The NIA is far different from any automatism you can achieve with a keyboard, mouse or any other advanced input device. The OCZ NIA is surely a highly exciting device. It is indeed a new type of computer input devices and it really works. I don’t regret any second of my time I spent to test the NIA."

Watch as nia creator, OCZ's Dr. Michael Schuette, challenges the host of G4 TV to a "Neural Showdown". Who will prevail?

"I can fully see how each player's experiences may be different. While I was not able to hone my NIA signals in the last few weeks, I can see how a dedicated player could very well learn what mental buttons to push to use the NIA in a beneficial way. Simply cutting down the reaction time of moving forwards and backwards could mean 1st or 2nd place in a match. Overall, kudos to OCZ for offering a product that gives everyone a glimpse of what is possible in future gaming. OCZ has opened the door to extra-sensory gaming and will always be known as the first company to release such a product to the mainstream market."

Trubritar Reviews the OCZ nia on YouTube

“We have a shining vision of the gaming future: We've finally got our hands on a retail unit of a device that brings us a little closer to this gaming utopia, OCZ's Neural Impulse Actuator. Even the simplistic Pong mini game, designed for practice, is enormously amusing simply because it requires no manual control whatsoever. Once it is all configured and you're shooting people with a mere raised eyebrow, it's undoubtedly a uniquely exhilarating experience. There's a noticeable and impressive drop in reaction times, particularly when it comes to firing in a fast-paced first person shooter. There's enormous potential here, and certainly a great degree of player interest in the ultimate goal of mind-controlled games."

“I would rate NIA even higher than multi-touch interfaces. At the end, I cannot say that I am done with Neural Impulse Actuator. This device is just fascinating. OCZ is positioning this device in the gaming segment, next to its line of gaming mice and keyboards. If I have to judge this device as a gaming controller alone, it can offer unique gaming experience, but it will take some time to adjust. But if you look into this device as an 'enabler' or 3D worlds to elderly and disabled people, that’s a whole another ballgame. There is tremendous number of people that were physically stopped from enjoying 3D worlds through their respective disability."

“NIA enables those people to start playing games and improve their life. And that is something that is not just commendable, but is truly inspiring. OCZ did a brilliant job with this one, and I hope that the company will continue to develop this concept into the future. I can only say that you should try it. If you find 100 or so bucks in your budget, don’t think about $90 mouse, or a $100 'gaming' keyboard. This might give you a whole lot more than those peripherals.”

"You can use NIA in virtually all areas of work with computers - from games to the myriad other programs. In sports games, such as race, NIA can replace both the steering wheel and gearshift box, and the degree of immersion in the game will be no less than using a specialized manipulators. The device is unique, and any similar or substitute NIA earlier was not met. NIA - is a new step in the development of computer manipulator, a step difficult, but significant. But what will this technology forward, and if at all, we have yet to learn. NIA is a significant step forward in the field of computer manipulators."

"The nia is an alternative for professional gamers, if you for example just use the left mouse button with the nia you will see a huge advantage when it comes to reaction time: our first tries showed 170ms less with the nia compared to the mouse.The nia is a great product for 'geeks' but also professional gamers that want to improve their reaction time. We are sure that the nia will find a lot of fans out there. Play games with your brain – yes it really does work!”

“Trust us, you’ve never experienced anything like the NIA. In fact we’d wager that you’ve never come across anything even vaguely like it. Personally, I’ve never seen anything quite like it, and I’ve seen some odd things in my time. The difference here is that it can potentially give you the edge to make you a better gamer. And as the NIA can speed up response times, it means you’re more efficient at shooting before getting shot. We’re still grinning thinking about it, this is one of the most interesting developments for computers that we can think of – we’re impressed with what we have seen so far.”

NIA isn’t an equipment that you will forget once you connect it to the system. You have to spend time for it if you want to use it efficiently. While being patient, you learn not to push yourself, to relax and slowly improve your concentration abilities. Either ways NIA is one of the most revolutionary products that have been on the market." (Editor's Choice Award, August 2008)

"The nia is a small device which you can connect via USB to your PC. The nia headband transfers signals such as brainwaves, muscle and eye movments into computer commands. You can customize those commands to whatever suits you best. Setting up the nia was a piece of cake and I could start gaming within minutes. I have been playing with the nia for a while now and it is still bizarre, it all seems very sciencefiction like. When I first played with the nia I had my doubts but after some training, installing new software updates, I started to really enjoy it. The nia definetly gives you a completely new gaming experience."

Video review of the nia at Hardware Info TV!

"The OCZ NIA is a very unique input device and possibly the first true brain-computer interface to hit the retail market. The NIA provided superior trigger response time and the difference was quite noticeable and immediate. The NIA configuration software is packed with numerous features and options which render it quite powerful, but then again, the NIA is a complex device. The configuration utility is relatively well laid out. The NIA also won't instantly make you a better gamer, but with practice and careful profile setup, it can breathe new life into your favorite games and even give you a competitive edge. The NIA is an excellent product that delivers on all advertised features.”

"By incorporating an electro-myogram, electro-encephalogram, and electro-oculogram into a small headband and a little black box with a USB connector, the company has developed a control system that can translate eye movements, facial muscle movements, and brain waves into game input. As a result, the NIA is a strange contraption that requires some very unusual participation from the user."

"The device is certainly a revelation as there is simply nothing else out there on the market that can compare..."

"Astonishing isn't the word for it. Astonishing is what you'd call a chicken that can play the violin. This is something else. This is heaven. The more you use the system, the further it can tailor its algorithms to understand your intentions, and the more reliable it becomes. And yes, it works. And it does require a lot of training before you can be a serious contender in deathmatch. But I'm going to keep at it, because I've already killed scores of UT3 bots Predator-style, raining death down on their little poly heads with nothing more than a glance. Still, if I may paraphrase a famous quote, the truly remarkable thing about the NIA is not so much that it works as well as it does, but that it works at all."

See the entire video review!