2. Introduction
What is BCI?- Brain Computer Interfaces is a game that
the user controls using brain signals.
The 1st BCI was by Dr. Grey Walter in 1964. He
connected electrodes directly to the motor areas of a
patient’s brain. He witnessed his patient control a
projector without movement.
Any natural form of communication or control requires
peripheral nerves and muscles.
3. Introduction
The process begins with the user’s intent. This intent
triggers a complex process in which certain brain areas
are activated, and hence signals are sent via the
peripheral nervous system (specifically, the motor
pathways) to the corresponding muscles, which in turn
perform the movement necessary for the communication
or control task.
The activity resulting from this process is often called
motor output or efferent output.
4. Introduction
So, a BCI is an artificial output channel, a direct interface
from the brain to a computer or machine, which can
accept voluntary commands directly from the brain
without requiring physical movements.
5. Disabilities
One of the most important reasons that this is significant
is that current BCI systems aim to provide assistive
devices for people with severe disabilities that can
render people unable to perform physical movements.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that BCI
can benefit.
7. Brain Games Setup
A typical EEG based BCI consists of an electrode cap
with electrodes, cables that transmit the signals from the
electrodes to the biosignal amplifier, a device that
converts the brain signals from analog to digital format,
and a computer that processes the data as well as
controls and often even runs the BCI application.
10. BCI Components
A BCI must have four components.
It must record activity directly from the brain (invasively
or non-invasively).
It must provide feedback to the user, and must do so in
real-time.
Finally, the system must rely on intentional control. That
is, the user must choose to perform a mental task
whenever s/he wants to accomplish a goal with the BCI.
12. Comparison
Brain Games vs. Hand Games
Head sensor controller
Hand controller
Memory of specific
physical movements
controls game mentally
Buttons on a physical
controller controls game
Thinking is the way you
control the game
Your brain is challenged
no matter what type of
game you play
Not much thought is put in
to playing hand games
Once you have learned a
game there is no challenge
for your brain
16. Works Cited
G. Dornhege, J.D.R. Millan, T. Hinterberger, D.J.
McFarland, K. Müller, and T.J. Sejnowski, Toward BrainComputer Interfacing, The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA,
(2007).
B.Z. Allison, D.J. McFarland, G. Schalk, S.D. Zheng,
M.M. Jackson, and J.R. Wolpaw, Towards an
independent brain-computer interface using steady state
visual evoked potentials. Clin Neurophysiol, 119, Feb.,
399–408, (2008).