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/2483827805137nas a2200373 4500008004100000022001400041245007500055210006900130260001200199300001000211490000800221520406800229653001004297653001504307653001004322653001804332653002404350653002704374653001104401653000904412653002404421653002404445653001904469653003604488653004104524653002404565653002804589100001904617700001904636700002404655700001504679700002104694856004804715 2008 eng d a0165-027000aBrain-computer interfaces (BCIs): Detection Instead of Classification.0 aBraincomputer interfaces BCIs Detection Instead of Classificatio c01/2008 a51-620 v1673 a

Many studies over the past two decades have shown that people can use brain signals to convey their intent to a computer through brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). These devices operate by recording signals from the brain and translating these signals into device commands. They can be used by people who are severely paralyzed to communicate without any use of muscle activity. One of the major impediments in translating this novel technology into clinical applications is the current requirement for preliminary analyses to identify the brain signal features best suited for communication. This paper introduces and validates signal detection, which does not require such analysis procedures, as a new concept in BCI signal processing. This detection concept is realized with Gaussian mixture models (GMMs) that are used to model resting brain activity so that any change in relevant brain signals can be detected. It is implemented in a package called SIGFRIED (SIGnal modeling For Real-time Identification and Event Detection). The results indicate that SIGFRIED produces results that are within the range of those achieved using a common analysis strategy that requires preliminary identification of signal features. They indicate that such laborious analysis procedures could be replaced by merely recording brain signals during rest. In summary, this paper demonstrates how SIGFRIED could be used to overcome one of the present impediments to translation of laboratory BCI demonstrations into clinically practical applications.

10aAdult10aAlgorithms10aBrain10aBrain Mapping10aElectrocardiography10aElectroencephalography10aHumans10aMale10aMan-Machine Systems10aNormal Distribution10aOnline Systems10aSignal Detection, Psychological10aSignal Processing, Computer-Assisted10aSoftware Validation10aUser-Computer Interface1 aSchalk, Gerwin1 aBrunner, Peter1 aGerhardt, Lester, A1 aBischof, H1 aWolpaw, Jonathan uhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17920134