Visual evoked potential-based brain–machine interface applications to assist disabled people

This paper describes a brain–computer interface (BCI) based on electroencephalography (EEG) that has been developed to assist disabled people. The BCI uses the evoked potentials paradigm (through P300 and N2PC waves detection), registering the EEG signals with 16 electrodes over the scalp. Three applications have been developed using this BCI paradigm. The first application is an Internet browser that allows to access to Internet and to control a computer. The second application allows controlling a robotic arm in order to manipulate objects. The third application is a basic communication tool that allows severe disabled people to interact with other people using basic commands related to emotions and needs. All the applications are composed by visual interfaces that show different options related to the application. These options are pseudo-randomly flickering in a screen. In order to select a specific command, the user must focus on the desired option. The BCI is able to obtain the desired option by detecting the P300 and N2PC waves produced as an automatic response of the brain to attended visual stimuli and finally classifying these signals. Different experiments with volunteers have been carried out in order to validate the applications. The experimental results obtained as well as the improvement achieved by using both types of evoked potentials are shown in the paper.

► This study develops three applications to assist disabled people in daily duties.
► The system is controlled by brain signals, using the P300 and N2PC evoked potentials.
► The interfaces allow controlling a computer, a robotic arm and a communication tool.
► Healthy and disabled volunteers have tested the reliability of the system.