The interface between Man and
Machine has been one of the growing fields of research
and development in the recent years. While most of the
efforts have been dedicated to the design of user-friendly
systems by means of innovative interfaces such as voice
recognition and virtual reality, the Brain-Computer
Interface (BCI) team at the Institute of Infocomm Research
has endeavored to develop a new dimension to man-machine
interaction: the direct brain-computer interface. Since
2004, the BCI is an emerging and exciting technology
which promises to create a direct communication channel
between the brain and the computer. As such, users will
be able to communicate and interact with the environment
through thoughts, rather than relying on normal, neuromuscular
pathways. By using non-invasive brain image techniques,
such as the Electroencephalography (EEG), the BCI team
has demonstrated the potentials of the technology for
various applications ranging from assistive devices
to stroke rehabilitation to neuro-feedback for mental
therapy.
As BCI became more technologically advanced, it became
apparent that they may be used therapeutically and thus
aid in the fight against disability. With that in mind,
the BCI team at the Institute of Infocomm Research has
developed the technology to cater to the needs of severely
disabled patients, such as “locked-in” patients
who have lost effective communication and interactive
abilities. This is to say that patients will be provided
a new communication and interaction channel where they
will be able to convey thoughts and intents from the
brain to the outside world. As such, the BCI team has
successfully developed the following systems:
- The Brain Communicator
- This device allows the user to type on the computer
using his thoughts.
- The Brain-Controlled Wheelchair
- This device allows the user to navigate an automobile
wheelchair in a building safely and efficiently by
translating brain waves into control commands.
- The BCI-Based Robotic Rehabilitation
- This device allows the BCI to directly translate
motor intents into appropriate actions in a therapeutic
robot. It will assist stroke patients to activate
motor neurons in a consistent way, thus reducing the
workload of occupational therapists. The technology
will also provide a gaming environment for the patients
to perform therapy exercises. A prototype shown below
has been set up at a hospital and is currently being
tested on stroke patients.
- The Neuro-Feedback
- This technology can be applied usefully on neuro-feedback
for mental therapy. More specifically, it tackles
attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The
technology is able to detect the difference in brain
waves from attention to non-attention states while
providing real-time feedback for the user to improve
attention ability. The ADHD therapy can be conducted
in a gaming environment where the game control comes
from the attention level of the player. Currently,
a few games have been developed based on this technology.
As shown below, the face puzzle game allows the player
to move the jigsaw face images by practicing focused
attention.
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