Neural Impulse Actuator
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The Neural Impulse Actuator (NIA) is a Brain-computer interface (BCI) device developed by the OCZ Technology. BCI devices attempt to move away from the classic input devices like keyboard and mouse and instead read electrical activity from the head, preferably the EEG. The name Neural Impulse Actuator implies that the signals originate from some neuronal activity, however, what is actually captured is a mixture of muscle, skin and nerve activity including sympathetic and parasympathetic components that have to be summarized as biopotentials rather than pure neural signals. The name Neural Impulse Actuator is still justifiable since also the secondary signals are under neuronal control. The biopotentials are decompiled into different frequency spectra to allow the separation into different groups of electrical signals. Individual signals that are isolated comprise alpha and beta brain waves, electromyograms and electro oculograms. The current version of the NIA uses carbon-fibers injected into soft plastic as substrate for the headband and for the sensors and achieves sensitivity much greater than the original silver chloride-based sensors using a clip-on interface to the wire harness.
Control over the computer in either desktop or gaming environments is done by binding keys to different zones within as many as three vertical joysticks. Each joystick can be divided into several zones based on thresholds and each zone within each joystick can be bound to a keyboard key. Each key stroke can further be assigned to several modes, including single keystroke, hold, repeat and dwell which allows full plasticity with respect to configuration of the NIA for any application. Moreover, the same "vertical joysticks" can be used in more than one instance to enable simultaneous pressing of multiple keys at any given time like "W" and "Spacebar" for jumping forward or toggling between left and right strafing for running in a zigzag pattern.
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[edit] Software support
The only software available officially is proprietary, for Microsoft Windows (XP and Vista), 32 and 64-bit.[1]
No specification has been published. People who are trying to make use of the device on Unix-like platforms[2], or create their own software for it for other reasons, say it may be a HID device providing raw data from its sensors to the software.[3][4] As of 10 Jan 2009, no plans for Linux support in the foreseeable future have been announced.[5][3] However, OCZ is planning to release an SDK that may have some support for Linux.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/ocz_peripherals/nia-neural_impulse_actuator
- ^ "nia4linux project page at SourceForge.net". http://sourceforge.net/projects/nia4linux/. Retrieved on 13 Jan 2009.
- ^ a b "NIA and linux". OCZ Forum. 10 Jan 2009. http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38441. Retrieved on 13 Jan 2009.
- ^ "nia is only a HID device, no drivers needed". OCZ Forum. http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43298. Retrieved on 13 Jan 2009.
- ^ Michael Larabel (13 Mar 2008). "OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator On Linux?". Phoronix Media. http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=NjM5Nw. Retrieved on 13 Jan 2009.
[edit] External links
- http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/ocz_peripherals/nia-neural_impulse_actuator
- http://www.ocztechnologyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38653 -help for using the NIA
- Market Competitors
- http://www.dailytech.com/OCZ+Mind+Controlled+Gamer+Mouse+Nears+Production/article10379.htm
- http://techreport.com/discussions.x/13928
- U.S. Patent 6,636,763 Brain-body actuated system
- U.S. Patent 5,692,517 Brain-body actuated system
- http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i=3252&p=2
- http://www.ocztechnology.com/aboutocz/press/2008/273 - OCZ Press release
- http://www.tcmagazine.com/comments.php?shownews=18456
- http://www.techpowerup.com/54897/Price_of_OCZ_Neural_Impulse_Actuator_Confirmed_$159.html
- Complete Review of NIA, including the practice it requires.
- Complete Review including its development.
