Brain-Computer Interfaces

A Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) is a system in which a computer is controlled directly through the use of brain signals, measured as EEG, MEG, fMRI etc. BCIs have a very broad field of application, ranging from computer games to biomedical applications. In this last domain, BCIs are used to increase the standard of living for disabled people. BCIs based on motor imagery enable motor impaired patients to move a wheelchair or an exoskeleton using their brain. Those based on event-related potentials are especially used as communication systems for patiens with the locked-in syndrome (e.g. ALS patients). Extensive research is needed to find accurate methods that extract as much information as possible from the user’s brain waves and transform this information to the right control signals. The final goal of this research is to build accurate, cheap and user-friendly BCIs.

Researcher: Thibault Verhoeven