OCZ's Brain Mouse Hits the Store 150
John Roller writes "Three months to the day since Slashdot originally received word that OCZ's "brain-mouse" — the Neural Impulse Actuator was ready for shipping, the first in-depth review of the device containing pictures of the retail packaging along with several videos have arrived on the internet.
Overclock3D.Net got the first look at the device, and although it's still early days, they managed to play a game of "Pong" using only brain power.
The article is only part one in a month-long log of using the device, but it's extremely interesting to see what the people who have pre-ordered the device can expect from it when it arrives on their doorsteps shortly."
But can it play WoW? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:But can it play WoW? (Score:4, Funny)
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Re:But can it play WoW? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:But can it play WoW? (Score:5, Funny)
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Hurray? (Score:5, Insightful)
This sounds interesting, at least. I wonder if it works on linux. Seriously. Does it work as a standard HID device?
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They had a "calibration" option, and the application "profile" option (that has the word "joystick" on it).
So out of the box Linux support doesn't look promising...
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I wondered this myself, but the screenshots on the 3rd page make me think that it doesn't...
They had a "calibration" option, and the application "profile" option (that has the word "joystick" on it).
So out of the box Linux support doesn't look promising...
Exactly what I was thinking. It includes a driver CD, so even if it is HID it will not be fully functional out of the box with Linux. Here's the page where you contact OCZ and let them know that we want Linux support for this thing:
http://www.ocztechnology.com/contact/ [ocztechnology.com]
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Most of the mice I've seen come with a "driver disk".
At least some mice were weird. All "Hayes compatible" modems (were there even others) came with a "driver" that would let Windows know that +++ATH meant hang up. Back then, that was only a few years ago (or a lot, depending on your age), I found this utterly ridiculous (especially when I tried installing a modem without its driver and the $*%ù&# thing would just fail).
<windows>like, duh</windows>
(for those who don't know what "hayes compatible" could possibly mean, Hayes used to be a m
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Re:Hurray? (Score:4, Funny)
Well, it looked like it was behaving, but no sooner had I left my seat that it had leaped in
Some hardware you just can't trust.
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Do more than just ask for Linux drivers. Ask them to release programming specs, then not only will you have open source drivers, but you can also find other ways to use it...
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Brain-Mouse??? (Score:5, Funny)
One is a genius, the other's insane;
Two laboratory mice, their genes have been spliced;
Before each night is done their plan will be unfurled;
By the dawning of the sun they'll take over the world;
Their twilight campaign is easy to explain;
To prove their mousy worth, they'll take over the earth;
They're Pinky, They're Pinky and the Brain Brain Brain Brain Brain Brain Brain Brain Narf.
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"I think so Brain, but why do I always have to wear the tutu?"
One of the greatest cartoons of all times. That and Animaniacs wasted a lot of my Saturday mornings.
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Wired or Wireless? (Score:1)
Great for non-gaming also (Score:5, Interesting)
Here endeth the sermonizing.
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Re:Great for non-gaming also (Score:4, Insightful)
There are people who's only means of communication is using a blink movement or similar to select words as a computer scans a grid.
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Best part, it's mass marketed (Score:2)
I'm thinking of some brilliant people whose bodies are hampered by cerebral palsy. Their main -- or sometimes only -- method of communication is through a computer which they may have trouble using because one or both of their hands is not fully functional. One of these units could make a major difference in their lives.
and again, above :
There are people who's only means of communication is using a blink movement or similar to select words as a computer scans a grid.
Yup. I'm definitely with both of you here.
Specially since specialized peripherals for handicapped persons are extremely expensive, because, well... they are specialized. (a couple of almost custom made peripheral sold to a very small population of users).
On the contrary OCZ's creation is targeted at a much larger population which enable them to sell it at a much lower price.
Even if a handicaped's version is going to be a tad more expensive (necessary certification to be sure that the
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Dear aunt, let's set so double the killer delete select all [google.com]
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The world of Fahrenheit 451 and/or the Matrix is already here for those who spend their time in front of MMORPGs, SecondLife, and the like. Once we can eliminate the need for our clumsy appendages in interacting with the make-believe we can take another willful nibble of the blue pill. It's
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Well the fundamental problem is that those consequences are in the future, and the future is by its very nature hypothetical, and any future consequences are also thus hypothetical, and
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Head Mouse (Score:4, Insightful)
Perhaps it should be call a 'head mouse', or 'face mouse', as 'Brain Mouse' is misleading.
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This is part of Keio University and Dentsu's joint venture [keio.ac.jp] into Secondlife, UI, interaction and social study.
I have to wonder (Score:2)
It makes me feel like a Neuromancer [wikipedia.org] future isn't all that far off.
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Seriously though, this device has nothing to do with mind-reading. It's not even capable of reading brainwaves like an EEG machine. It's just measuring electrical signals to muscles on your face.
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"I'm not - I'm trying to send an email!"
Seriously though, decades of keyboard and mouse usage have given me superhero-like fingers when compared to none computer users. Will extended use of this give me a face like a body builders chest?
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Re:I have to wonder (Score:5, Insightful)
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What's taken so long? (Score:1)
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NOT news! (Score:1, Funny)
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Neat, but... (Score:4, Interesting)
This looks really neat, really promising, and is very exciting to see. It does make me think of a few questions though...
Re:Neat, but... (Score:4, Informative)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MC_Hawking [wikipedia.org]
New Moderation request (Score:2)
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-1 bitching about missing mod option.
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"I got a Ph.D in pain and a master's in disaster, / the mighty Stephen Hawking is a fucking Quake master." â" from "QuakeMaster"
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Games... I wonder if they can do 'force feedback' (Score:2)
Interesting idea ... Inconclusive Review (Score:2)
A remarkable idea, but if it winds up killing off gamers instead of being their salvation, its life as a product would appear to be nasty, brutish and short.
It seems almost like the Ouija board of computing.
D
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This review seems so inconclusive that I'm not even sure if the device really works, or is something faked up by a charlatan.
A remarkable idea, but if it winds up killing off gamers instead of being their salvation, its life as a product would appear to be nasty, brutish and short.
It seems almost like the Ouija board of computing.
D
If it runs under $120 I'm going to run out and get one. But, then I have a box of a half-dozen failed "revolutionary" new UI devices. It's sort of a hobby of mine.
I suspect that it is exceptionally hard to use with out training but just like the twiddler, air-mouse, and the alpha-grip an extremely practiced user can make them work as well as the device its intended to replace.
The problem is you need to be better than the device you are replacing. I keep buying these toys... I keep hoping. We'll see if this
Optimism (Score:4, Informative)
Hmm, given that it lasts a couple of years with continuous martial arts training to establish a process approaching a near optimum with regards to 'naturally given/wired' I/O I still believe that it is appropriate not to be optimistic indeed.
CC.
Re:Optimism (Score:5, Informative)
As a side note-- this would be a great tool for learning how to beat polygraph exams! "Escape from Gitmo" for PS3 coming soon!
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Never yet encountered an interface as discussed here in vivo, but I would guess that 'concentration' might not be the proper way, I tend to think that an appropriate distribution of attention would do better. Within that model of thought, your 'context switches' change to a redistribution of attention.
CC.
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http://www.joelonsoftware.com/articles/fog0000000022.html [joelonsoftware.com]
http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/archives/000691.html [codinghorror.com]
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Similarly, I think if these products ever become popular, there will be a generation of people who will find using them completely natural.
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Agreed; though, imagine you had the task to 'consciously' control all the muscles involved in an arbitrary day-to-day movement (e.g. something as 'simple' as walking
CC.
Stephen Hawking (Score:5, Interesting)
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Neuromancer (Score:1)
Just read Neuromancer. William Gibson is an author with considerable foresight
They should have called this device 'trodes'. Now I just need to get my hands on a Hosaka and I'll be set for cyberspace!
Oww my head! (Score:2)
For work? (Score:1)
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How practical would such a device be for working? It would actually be pretty useful to remove the need to do all the point-clicky stuff and keep my hands localized to the keyboard; granted, does a lot of that already with its interface. I don't know if it would be feasible, because I bet far more neurons would fire when working on a hard problem, thus interfering with the mouse's accuracy. I wouldn't want the mouse to fly everywhere if I were trying to type hello world :).
I'm sure it doesn't work that way. In fact I'd bet it is something you need to spend about a week learning to do with any proficiency. Inside that first week the mental effort to shift attention to mousing versus the inconvenience of moving your hand to the physical mouse would probably favor the physical mouse ten to one.
But that's just a wild guess on my part.
1 dof (Score:2)
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Maybe in another 10 years, we'll have
"click here, vi
Where can you buy!!?!? (Score:2)
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Link Page Down (Score:4, Informative)
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Demo person: "Hrm... this is odd. All you seem to be able to do is make your character stand up."
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Most distracting!
Hmmmm.... I think I need distracted again. *reloads link*
P.S. For those interested in the OCZ thingy, it's due out at the 'end of this year' and is expected to 'retail for around $300 USD'
It took effort to RTFA instead of staring slack-jawed at the 'boothbabe', but the info was there.
Inside the NIA (Score:4, Informative)
Anyone else have specific info on whats inside, etc? First thought that comes to me is, I want to make one myself!
Teardown Article:
http://www.anandtech.com/weblog/showpost.aspx?i=452 [anandtech.com]
Picture Gallery:
http://www.anandtech.com/Gallery.aspx?id=123 [anandtech.com]
Components Inside (Score:1)
The controller for the whole board, and USB interface:
* PIC18F.. - microprocessor (w/ USB transceiver)
The input capture chip for the sensors:
* PCM1803A - 24-Bit, 96kHz, Stereo, Delta-Sigma Audio ADC
Misc supporting circuitry:
*
* ADUM1300 - Analog Devices Triple-Channel Digital Isolator
* Several HC595A shift registers
* A ripple counter
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Offhand, I don't think the hardware shown could even work as an EMG, much less an EEG. I would thus presume they must have some form of differential amplification with a high CMRR in the visor itself.
And without knowing that, we can really only make wild guesses as to exactly what this really measures.
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http://www.microchip.com/stellent/idcplg?IdcService=SS_GET_PAGE&nodeId=1335&dDocName=en010273 [microchip.com]
You can use C too, judging from the app notes. Handy for USB stuff.
Forget the games, think internet porn! (Score:2, Insightful)
I want this with a programmable interface (Score:4, Interesting)
it was slashdotted (Score:1)
It measured muscles not neurons ! (Score:1)
However, I don't think that those devices actually work by reading brain waves. Anyone who has worked with an EEG knows how motionless you have to sit in order to measure brainwaves. When we do experiments the subjects have to avoid muscle and eye movement as much as possible. Every movement of eyes or muscles exceeds any brain wave by magnitudes. There's a reflex that causes your eyes to move upward when closing them. So you also have to blink as few times as you can, which makes
Finally (Score:2)
But most importantly ... (Score:2)
Pong (Score:2)
Think OK to accept the EULA (Score:2)
Can you imagine the possibilities if it really could read your mind?
- Think yes to accept the EULA (and donate your firstborn to us...)
- I know you didn't read it. Go back and read the licence properly...
Next, the brain powered keyboard!
A smalll mistake in reading the title... (Score:2)
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"lazers" you say? Ummm...no, I'm speaking to the controls on a steering wheel.