The Berlin Brain-Computer Interface (BBCI) --- towards a new communication channel for online control in gaming applications

  • Authors:
  • Roman Krepki;Benjamin Blankertz;Gabriel Curio;Klaus-Robert Müller

  • Affiliations:
  • Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Architecture and Software Technology (FhG-FIRST), Research Group for Intelligent Data Analysis (IDA), Koenigstein i.Ts., Germany 61462;Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Architecture and Software Technology (FhG-FIRST), Research Group for Intelligent Data Analysis (IDA), Koenigstein i.Ts., Germany 61462;Neurophysics Group, Department of Neurology, Klinikum Benjamin Franklin, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany 12203;Aff1 Aff3

  • Venue:
  • Multimedia Tools and Applications
  • Year:
  • 2007

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Abstract

The investigation of innovative Human-Computer Interfaces (HCI) provides a challenge for future multimedia research and development. Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) exploit the ability of human communication and control bypassing the classical neuromuscular communication channels. In general, BCIs offer a possibility of communication for people with severe neuromuscular disorders, such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) or spinal cord injury. Beyond medical applications, a BCI conjunction with exciting multimedia applications, e.g., a dexterity game, could define a new level of control possibilities also for healthy customers decoding information directly from the user's brain, as reflected in electroencephalographic (EEG) signals which are recorded non-invasively from user's scalp. This contribution introduces the Berlin Brain---Computer Interface (BBCI) and presents setups where the user is provided with intuitive control strategies in plausible gaming applications that use biofeedback. Yet at its beginning, BBCI thus adds a new dimension in multimedia research by offering the user an additional and independent communication channel based on brain activity only. First successful experiments already yielded inspiring proofs-of-concept. A diversity of multimedia application models, say computer games, and their specific intuitive control strategies, as well as various Virtual Reality (VR) scenarios are now open for BCI research aiming at a further speed up of user adaptation and increase of learning success and transfer bit rates.