Non Invasive Brain Computer Interfaces for Communication and
Control
Fabio BabiloniDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology,
University of Rome “La Sapienza”
Non Invasive Brain Computer Interfaces for Communication and
Control
Fabio BabiloniDepartment of Physiology and Pharmacology,
University of Rome “La Sapienza”
Epilepticus sic curabitur ('The way to cure an epileptic')
Sloane Manuscript, collection of medical manuscripts, end of the 12th century - British Museum, London
Technologies for the study of brain functions
Cauterisation (15th century)Image taken from the first medical textbook "Cerrahiyyet'ül Haniyye", written in Ottoman language by the Turkish surgeon Serafettin Sabuncuoglu.
Technologies for the study of brain functions
Hyeronimus Bosch, The stone of madness, El Prado, Madrid
Jan Sanders Van Hemessen (1500-1566), The surgeon 1550, El Prado, Madrid
Variations of EEG waves are correlated with some mental
states
8-12 Hertz, alpha EEG waves
8-12 Hertz, mu EEG waves
“To move things is all that mankind can do; … for such the sole executant is muscle, whether in whispering a syllabe or in felling a forest.”
Sir Charles Sherrington, 1924
What a BCI is
“Brain–computer interfaces (BCI’s) give their users communication and control channels that do not depend on the brain’s normal output channels of
peripheral nerves and muscles.”
“A BCI changes the electrophysiological signals from mere reflections of CNS activity into the
intended product of the activity: messages and commands that act on the world”
Wolpaw, 2002
PsychologicalEffort
(Intention)
Modification ofBrain Signals
Signal Features
ClassificationOf Intent
Increase of Increase of performanceperformance
appropriate feature extraction
appropriate feedback strategy
user
train
ing
com
pu
ter
train
ing
Environment
BCI: logical scheme
Movement-related thoughts elicited specific cortical patterns
Several EEG studies have also demonstrated that imagined movements elicited desynchronization patterns different for right and left movement imaginations
Neuroscientific studies with fMRI have demonstrated that motor and parietal areas are involved in the imagination of the limb movements
Imagined left movement Executed left movement
SINC 200711
Detection of mu rhythm modulation Detection of P300
Detection of steady-state VEPs
Detection of Slow Cortical Potentials
SMR is a 8-12 Hz oscillatory rhythm of the brain’s electrical activity.
It is detected on the central electrode sites (over the sensorimotor cortex)
It is associated with inhibition of motor activity
12
From Wolpaw et al. 2002, Clinph
Sensory motor rhythms
SINC 200713
Detection of mu rhythm modulation Detection of P300
Detection of steady-state VEPs
Detection of Slow Cortical Potentials
The P300 is an event-related potential, dominating at parietal electrode sites.
P300 follows unexpected sensory stimuli or stimuli that provide task related information
P300 speller From Selllers & Donchin 2006, clinph
P300 potentials
Research Applications
Speller“Symbolic” CommunicationGameEnvironment Control“Virtual” Mobility MobilityNeuroprosthesis
Ministero degli Affari EsteriProgetto “Brain Computer Interfaces Between China and Italy (BCI2)”
Speller
Credits:F. AloiseF. Babiloni U. Sapienza, Roma
S. Gao Tsinghua Univ., RPC
B. Hong Tsinghua Univ., RPC
Fondazione Banca Nazionale della ComunicazioneProgetto “Inclusione nella ICT di soggetti affetti da grave disabilità motoria tramite…”
Game
Credits:F. AloiseF. Babiloni U. Sapienza, Roma
Fondazione TelethonProgetto “ASPICE”
“Virtual” Mobility
Credits:F. AloiseG. Oriolo U. Sapienza, Roma
A. Cherubini U. Sapienza, Roma
Credits:J. Millàn IDIAP, CH
M. Nuttin KU Leuven. BF. Cincotti FSL
European Commission – 6th Framework ProgrammeProgetto “MAIA” FP6
Mobility
P300-based control of a domestic environment
Credits:F. BabiloniF.AloiseF. Cincotti FSLM.C. Carrozza SSSA, Pisa
Neuroprosthesis
Future trends
“640 KB RAM will be adequate for everybody in the future”
» Bill Gates, 1981
“It’s always hard to make prediction, especially about the future”
“People will not wear scalp electrodes during normal daylife”
» Chief of Research and Development of a mobile phone company
“Computers are interesting, but the mondial market for them is limited in the future to not more of 5 pieces per year”
» Thomas Watson, IBM president, 1949