Head games: A magician's hand may be faster than your eye, but is your eye faster than hands on a keyboard? PC gamers now have the chance to find out with the new Neural Impulse Actuator (NIA) from OCZ Technology.
The NIA is a headband that uses built-in sensors to pick up electrical impulses from your head and then transmits them via a USB connection to your computer (Windows XP and Vista only). These signals are then converted into instructions for whatever computer game you are playing, allowing you to largely operate the game without having to use the keyboard.
The device doesn't read your mind as such. Rather, the NIA reads electrical changes on the surface of the skin, basically from muscular movements such as frowns, jaw clenches and eye movements. These are then transmitted to the computer, which equates a particular facial gesture or movement with a keyboard instruction.