Effect of a combination of flip and zooming stimuli on the performance of a visual brain-computer interface for spelling

Distraction impact of concurrent conversation on event-related potential based brain-computer interfaces

Objective.This study investigates the impact of conversation on the performance of visual event-related potential (ERP)-based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs), considering distractions in real life environment. The research aims to understand how cognitive distractions from speaking and listening activities affect ERP-BCI performance.Approach.The experiment employs a dual-task paradigm where participants control a smart light using visual ERP-BCIs while simultaneously conducting speaking or listening tasks.Main results.The findings reveal that speaking notably degrades BCI accuracy and the amplitude of ERP components, while increases the latency variability of ERP components and occipital alpha power. In contrast, listening and simple syllable repetition tasks have a lesser impact on these variables. The results suggest that speaking activity significantly distracts visual attentional processes critical for BCI operationSignificance. This study highlights the need to take distractions by daily conversation into account of the design and implementation of ERP-BCIs.

Considering preferences, speed and the animation of multiple symbols in developing P300 brain-computer interface for children

PURPOSE

Prior research has begun establishing the efficacy of animation in brain-computer interfaces access to augmentative and alternative communication (BCI-AAC). However, the use of animation in P300-BCI-AAC for children is in the early stages and largely limited to single item highlighting of extended durations. In pursuit of practical application, the present study aims to evaluate children's event-related potential (ERP) characteristics and user experience during a task involving an animated P300-BCI-AAC system.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The system utilizes multi-item zoom animations to access a 28-pictorial symbols. Participants completed a fast (100 ms) and slow (200 ms) zoom animation highlighting conditions wherein four pictorial symbols were highlighted concurrently.

RESULTS

The proposed display appears feasible, eliciting all targeted ERPs. However, ERP amplitudes may be reduced in comparison to single-item animation highlighting, possibly due to distraction. Ratings of mental effort were significantly higher for the 100 ms condition, though differences in the frontal P200/P300 ERP did not achieve significance. Most participants identified a preference for the 100 ms condition, though age may impact preference.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, findings support the preliminary feasibility of a proposed 28-item interface that utilises group zoom animation highlighting of pictorial symbols. Further research is needed evaluating ERP characteristics and outcomes from online (real-time) use of animation-based P300-BCI-AAC for children with severe speech and physical impairments across multiple training sessions.

Workshops of the Seventh International Brain-Computer Interface Meeting: Not Getting Lost in Translation

The Seventh International Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Meeting was held May 21-25th, 2018 at the Asilomar Conference Grounds, Pacific Grove, California, United States. The interactive nature of this conference was embodied by 25 workshops covering topics in BCI (also called brain-machine interface) research. Workshops covered foundational topics such as hardware development and signal analysis algorithms, new and imaginative topics such as BCI for virtual reality and multi-brain BCIs, and translational topics such as clinical applications and ethical assumptions of BCI development. BCI research is expanding in the diversity of applications and populations for whom those applications are being developed. BCI applications are moving toward clinical readiness as researchers struggle with the practical considerations to make sure that BCI translational efforts will be successful. This paper summarizes each workshop, providing an overview of the topic of discussion, references for additional information, and identifying future issues for research and development that resulted from the interactions and discussion at the workshop.

Investigation of Visual Stimulus With Various Colors and the Layout for the Oddball Paradigm in Evoked Related Potential-Based Brain-Computer Interface

Objective: Stimulus visual patterns, such as size, content, color, luminosity, and interval, play key roles for brain–computer interface (BCI) performance. However, the three primary colors to be intercompared as a single variable or factor on the same platform are poorly studied. In this work, we configured the visual stimulus patterns with red, green, and blue operating on a newly designed layout of the flash pattern of BCI to study the waveforms and performance of the evoked related potential (ERP).

Approach: Twelve subjects participated in our experiment, and each subject was required to finish three different color sub-experiments. Four blocks of the interface were presented along the edge of the screen, and the other four were assembled in the center, aiming to investigate the problem of adjacency distraction. Repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni correction were applied for statistical analysis.

Main results: The averaged online accuracy was 98.44% for the red paradigm, higher than 92.71% for the green paradigm, and 93.23% for the blue paradigm. Furthermore, significant differences in online accuracy (p < 0.05) and information transfer rate (p < 0.05) were found between the red and green paradigms.

Significance: The red stimulus paradigm yielded the best performance. The proposed design of ERP-based BCI was practical and effective for many potential applications.