What is a Brain-Computer Interface?

Broadly, brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) are a new and growing technology that allow users to interact with their environment (e.g. playing a video game) through directly processing their brain patterns. By processing intent and activity from the brain directly, we can bypass neuromuscular limitations and allow people with physical impairments to control and interact with the world around them. This opens up a huge opportunity for new possibilities for people with physical impairments, with BCI research looking to help in a variety of ways from gaining independent movements to playing video games for the first time!

How do BCIs work?

There are several different types of BCI, but we are focusing on non-invasive BCI which uses electroencephalography (EEG) to read brain patterns. The EEG is recorded from small electrodes (recording pads) placed on the scalp, which reads the electric activity of the brain as it propagates through the skull and skin. We can then elicit well known patterns from the brain and pair that response to a desired action based on our known pattern of brain activity. To elicit these patterns, we can use outside driven stimuli (e.g. flashing lights or changes in the environment), or an internally driven stimuli (e.g. thought patterns such as imaging a movement). Don't worry though- the EEG can only pick up the rough pattern, not what you're actually thinking! That is, we know you are imaging movement, but can't distinguish if you are picturing throwing a baseball or petting your dog (or if you own a dog).