@article {3381, title = {P300-based brain-computer interface (BCI) event-related potentials (ERPs): People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) vs. age-matched controls.}, journal = {Clin Neurophysiol}, year = {2015}, month = {02/2015}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) aimed at restoring communication to people with severe neuromuscular disabilities often use event-related potentials (ERPs) in scalp-recorded EEG activity. Up to the present, most research and development in this area has been done in the laboratory with young healthy control subjects. In order to facilitate the development of BCI most useful to people with disabilities, the present study set out to: (1) determine whether people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and healthy, age-matched volunteers (HVs) differ in the speed and accuracy of their ERP-based BCI use; (2) compare the ERP characteristics of these two groups; and (3) identify ERP-related factors that might enable improvement in BCI performance for people with disabilities.

METHODS: Sixteen EEG channels were recorded while people with ALS or healthy age-matched volunteers (HVs) used a P300-based BCI. The subjects with ALS had little or no remaining useful motor control (mean ALS Functional Rating Scale-Revised 9.4 ({\textpm}9.5SD) (range 0-25)). Each subject attended to a target item as the items in a 6{\texttimes}6 visual matrix flashed. The BCI used a stepwise linear discriminant function (SWLDA) to determine the item the user wished to select (i.e., the target item). Offline analyses assessed the latencies, amplitudes, and locations of ERPs to the target and non-target items for people with ALS and age-matched control subjects.

RESULTS: BCI accuracy and communication rate did not differ significantly between ALS users and HVs. Although ERP morphology was similar for the two groups, their target ERPs differed significantly in the location and amplitude of the late positivity (P300), the amplitude of the early negativity (N200), and the latency of the late negativity (LN).

CONCLUSIONS: The differences in target ERP components between people with ALS and age-matched HVs are consistent with the growing recognition that ALS may affect cortical function. The development of BCIs for use by this population may begin with studies in HVs but also needs to include studies in people with ALS. Their differences in ERP components may affect the selection of electrode montages, and might also affect the selection of presentation parameters (e.g., matrix design, stimulation rate).

SIGNIFICANCE: P300-based BCI performance in people severely disabled by ALS is similar to that of age-matched control subjects. At the same time, their ERP components differ to some degree from those of controls. Attention to these differences could contribute to the development of BCIs useful to those with ALS and possibly to others with severe neuromuscular disabilities.

}, keywords = {alternative and augmentative communication (AAC), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Brain-computer interface (BCI), brain-machine interface (BMI), electroencephalography (EEG), event-related potentials (ERP)}, issn = {1872-8952}, doi = {10.1016/j.clinph.2015.01.013}, url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25703940}, author = {McCane, Lynn M and Susan M Heckman and Dennis J. McFarland and Townsend, George and Mak, Joseph N and Sellers, Eric W and Zeitlin, Debra and Tenteromano, Laura M and Jonathan Wolpaw and Theresa M Vaughan} } @article {3415, title = {Toward independent home use of brain-computer interfaces: a decision algorithm for selection of potential end-users.}, journal = {Arch Phys Med Rehabil}, volume = {96}, year = {2015}, month = {03/2015}, pages = {S27-32}, abstract = {

Noninvasive brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) use scalp-recorded electrical activity from the brain to control an application. Over the past 20 years, research demonstrating that BCIs can provide communication and control to individuals with severe motor impairment has increased almost exponentially. Although considerable effort has been dedicated to offline analysis for improving signal detection and translation, far less effort has been made to conduct online studies with target populations. Thus, there remains a great need for both long-term and translational BCI studies that include individuals with disabilities in their own homes. Completing these studies is the only sure means to answer questions about BCI utility and reliability. Here we suggest an algorithm for candidate selection for electroencephalographic (EEG)-based BCI home studies. This algorithm takes into account BCI end-users and their environment and should assist in study design and substantially improve subject retention rates, thereby improving the overall efficacy of BCI home studies. It is the result of a workshop at the Fifth International BCI Meeting that allowed us to leverage the expertise of multiple research laboratories and people from multiple backgrounds in BCI research.

}, keywords = {Algorithms, brain-computer interfaces, Cognition, Disabled Persons, Electroencephalography, Environment, Humans, Patient Selection, Physical Therapy Modalities}, issn = {1532-821X}, doi = {10.1016/j.apmr.2014.03.036}, url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25721544}, author = {K{\"u}bler, Andrea and Holz, Elisa Mira and Sellers, Eric W and Theresa M Vaughan} } @article {3370, title = {Brain-computer interface (BCI) evaluation in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.}, journal = {Amyotroph Lateral Scler Frontotemporal Degener}, volume = {15}, year = {2014}, month = {06/2014}, pages = {207-15}, abstract = {Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) might restore communication to people severely disabled by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or other disorders. We sought to: 1) define a protocol for determining whether a person with ALS can use a visual P300-based BCI; 2) determine what proportion of this population can use the BCI; and 3) identify factors affecting BCI performance. Twenty-five individuals with ALS completed an evaluation protocol using a standard 6 {\texttimes} 6 matrix and parameters selected by stepwise linear discrimination. With an 8-channel EEG montage, the subjects fell into two groups in BCI accuracy (chance accuracy 3\%). Seventeen averaged 92 ({\textpm} 3)\% (range 71-100\%), which is adequate for communication (G70 group). Eight averaged 12 ({\textpm} 6)\% (range 0-36\%), inadequate for communication (L40 subject group). Performance did not correlate with disability: 11/17 (65\%) of G70 subjects were severely disabled (i.e. ALSFRS-R < 5). All L40 subjects had visual impairments (e.g. nystagmus, diplopia, ptosis). P300 was larger and more anterior in G70 subjects. A 16-channel montage did not significantly improve accuracy. In conclusion, most people severely disabled by ALS could use a visual P300-based BCI for communication. In those who could not, visual impairment was the principal obstacle. For these individuals, auditory P300-based BCIs might be effective.}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Biofeedback, Psychology, brain-computer interfaces, Communication Disorders, Electroencephalography, Event-Related Potentials, P300, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Online Systems, Photic Stimulation, Psychomotor Performance, Reaction Time}, issn = {2167-9223}, doi = {10.3109/21678421.2013.865750}, url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24555843}, author = {McCane, Lynn M and Sellers, Eric W and Dennis J. McFarland and Mak, Joseph N and Carmack, C Steve and Zeitlin, Debra and Jonathan Wolpaw and Theresa M Vaughan} } @article {2177, title = {The Wadsworth BCI Research and Development Program: At Home with BCI.}, journal = {IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng}, volume = {14}, year = {2006}, month = {06/2006}, pages = {229-33}, abstract = {

The ultimate goal of brain-computer interface (BCI) technology is to provide communication and control capacities to people with severe motor disabilities. BCI research at the Wadsworth Center focuses primarily on noninvasive,\ electroencephalography\ (EEG)-based BCI methods. We have shown that people, including those with severe motor disabilities, can learn to use sensorimotor rhythms (SMRs) to move a cursor rapidly and accurately in one or two dimensions. We have also improved P300-based BCI operation. We are now translating this laboratory-proven BCI technology into a system that can be used by severely disabled people in their homes with minimal ongoing technical oversight. To accomplish this, we have: improved our general-purpose BCI software (BCI2000); improved online adaptation and feature translation for SMR-based BCI operation; improved the accuracy and bandwidth of P300-based BCI operation; reduced the\ complexity\ of system hardware and software and begun to evaluate home system use in appropriate users. These developments have resulted in prototype systems for every day use in people{\textquoteright}s homes.

}, keywords = {Animals, Brain, Electroencephalography, Evoked Potentials, Humans, Neuromuscular Diseases, New York, Research, Switzerland, Therapy, Computer-Assisted, Universities, User-Computer Interface}, issn = {1534-4320}, doi = {10.1109/TNSRE.2006.875577}, url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16792301}, author = {Theresa M Vaughan and Dennis J. McFarland and Gerwin Schalk and Sarnacki, William A and Krusienski, Dean J and Sellers, Eric W and Jonathan Wolpaw} }