OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator - TechRadar UK

We have a shining vision of the gaming future.

It involves genuinely 3D graphics that are indiscernible from real life, tactile force feedback suits that simulate pressure and temperature and, very importantly, the removal of clunky manual control in favour of the power of thought alone.

After a few minor-yet-irksome delays, 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.

Translating movements

This USB headband translates 'biopotentials', that's tiny electrical changes on the surface of the skin, and translates them to inputs along various control axes, minimising the need for game controllers.

While we previewed the NIA a few months back, it's important to reiterate exactly what the device can and can't do. For a start, the NIA isn't going to translate thoughts, such as 'shoot' or 'run forward', into corresponding inputs, the technology simply isn't that sophisticated yet (plus you'd probably have to drill holes in your skull for that sort of thing).

Instead, most of the input comes from muscular movements, such as frowns, expression changes and eye movements, instead of brain waves.

Not a mind reader

What it does do is measure the strength of the electrical signal it's receiving, so if you're clenching your jaw hard, for example, that will top out the Muscle axis, where as less strained movements will have it wavering somewhere in the middle.

While it's not strictly mind control, when you accidentally shoot an enemy, before you've even registered them, because of some subconscious facial twitch, it'll certainly feel that way - there's a noticeable and impressive drop in reaction times, particularly when it comes to firing in a fast-paced first person shooter.

It's also worth noting that most games you'll use this with will be too complex to use the NIA alone, normally requiring additional mouse control as a bare minimum. Unfortunately this means you'll still be tied to the familiar hunched-over-the-desk posture.

The two burning questions though are; does the device fulfil this remit effectively and, crucially, are players interested in 'mind' control in light of the caveats above?

As far as the former is concerned, the kit is suitably sensitive, though we had some bizarre problems with signal noise that could only be solved by holding the brushed aluminium chassis while we used it, but that appeared to be a fault with our particular unit alone.