03178nas a2200421 4500008004100000022001400041245009800055210006900153260001200222300001100234490000700245520196800252653001002220653000902230653001502239653002402254653003002278653003602308653002702344653002102371653003102392653001102423653001102434653000902445653002402454653001602478653001702494653002202511653002802533100002502561700001602586700001902602700002002621700002202641700002102663700002402684856004802708 2014 eng d a1741-255200aA practical, intuitive brain-computer interface for communicating 'yes' or 'no' by listening.0 apractical intuitive braincomputer interface for communicating ye c06/2014 a0350030 v113 aOBJECTIVE: Previous work has shown that it is possible to build an EEG-based binary brain-computer interface system (BCI) driven purely by shifts of attention to auditory stimuli. However, previous studies used abrupt, abstract stimuli that are often perceived as harsh and unpleasant, and whose lack of inherent meaning may make the interface unintuitive and difficult for beginners. We aimed to establish whether we could transition to a system based on more natural, intuitive stimuli (spoken words 'yes' and 'no') without loss of performance, and whether the system could be used by people in the locked-in state. APPROACH: We performed a counterbalanced, interleaved within-subject comparison between an auditory streaming BCI that used beep stimuli, and one that used word stimuli. Fourteen healthy volunteers performed two sessions each, on separate days. We also collected preliminary data from two subjects with advanced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), who used the word-based system to answer a set of simple yes-no questions. MAIN RESULTS: The N1, N2 and P3 event-related potentials elicited by words varied more between subjects than those elicited by beeps. However, the difference between responses to attended and unattended stimuli was more consistent with words than beeps. Healthy subjects' performance with word stimuli (mean 77% ± 3.3 s.e.) was slightly but not significantly better than their performance with beep stimuli (mean 73% ± 2.8 s.e.). The two subjects with ALS used the word-based BCI to answer questions with a level of accuracy similar to that of the healthy subjects. SIGNIFICANCE: Since performance using word stimuli was at least as good as performance using beeps, we recommend that auditory streaming BCI systems be built with word stimuli to make the system more pleasant and intuitive. Our preliminary data show that word-based streaming BCI is a promising tool for communication by people who are locked in.10aAdult10aAged10aAlgorithms10aAuditory Perception10abrain-computer interfaces10aCommunication Aids for Disabled10aElectroencephalography10aEquipment Design10aEquipment Failure Analysis10aFemale10aHumans10aMale10aMan-Machine Systems10aMiddle Aged10aQuadriplegia10aTreatment Outcome10aUser-Computer Interface1 aHill, Jeremy, Jeremy1 aRicci, Erin1 aHaider, Sameah1 aMcCane, Lynn, M1 aHeckman, Susan, M1 aWolpaw, Jonathan1 aVaughan, Theresa, M uhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2483827802332nas a2200457 4500008004100000022001400041245009000055210006900145260001200214300001100226490000700237520103300244653000901277653003401286653002701320653002901347653003701376653001101413653001101424653001601435653000901451653001601460653001701476653001301493653001401506653002301520653002801543653002501571653002201596653002801618100001501646700001501661700002301676700002401699700001601723700001901739700002601758700002101784700002101805856004801826 2005 eng d a1526-632X00aPatients with ALS can use sensorimotor rhythms to operate a brain-computer interface.0 aPatients with ALS can use sensorimotor rhythms to operate a brai c05/2005 a1775-70 v643 a

People with severe motor disabilities can maintain an acceptable quality of life if they can communicate. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), which do not depend on muscle control, can provide communication. Four people severely disabled by ALS learned to operate a BCI with EEG rhythms recorded over sensorimotor cortex. These results suggest that a sensorimotor rhythm-based BCI could help maintain quality of life for people with ALS.

10aAged10aAmyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis10aElectroencephalography10aEvoked Potentials, Motor10aEvoked Potentials, Somatosensory10aFemale10aHumans10aImagination10aMale10aMiddle Aged10aMotor Cortex10aMovement10aParalysis10aPhotic Stimulation10aProstheses and Implants10aSomatosensory Cortex10aTreatment Outcome10aUser-Computer Interface1 aKübler, A1 aNijboer, F1 aMellinger, Jürgen1 aVaughan, Theresa, M1 aPawelzik, H1 aSchalk, Gerwin1 aMcFarland, Dennis, J.1 aBirbaumer, Niels1 aWolpaw, Jonathan uhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15911809