Brain Computer Interface

The interfaces between humans and computers or machines ("human machine interface (HMI)") are ubiquitous and range from simple interfaces such as steering wheels to highly complex systems. The ability to interact with a machine without using speech and motion, but through the direct interface of the brain with a machine/computer, the so-called "Brain Computer Interface (BCI)/Brain Machine Interface (BMI)", is a rapidly developing field of technology. Initially designed to make everyday life easier for users who are unable to use the conventional interfaces, non-medical development possibilities have become increasingly important in recent years, especially in the field of steering robots and machines or in the gaming industry.

As early as 2009, people were able to move the mouse pointer on a screen via BCI, although not as efficiently as with a traditional mouse. It was also already possible to control spelling programs or robotic and prosthetic actuators. However, when implementing these revolutionary operating options, high technological challenges have to be mastered, which lead to a high development effort.

The topic has reached the general public mainly through the investment of Elon Musk and his company "Neuralink" which published a video at the beginning of 2021 in which a monkey controls a computer game via a neuro chip. However, the basic control of a mouse pointer by a BCI has already been realized and researched in monkeys since 2002 and the underlying idea even exists since 1969. A researcher connected the needle of an amperemeter with a neutron of a monkey brain, who was able to deflect the amperemeter as required after a short time.

What is new about the release of "Neuralink" is that the transmission via a radio chip works wirelessly instead of using electrode hoods and neuroprosthetics as before, thus opening up new application scenarios. The project received further attention through Musk's announcement that the neuro-chip will be tested on humans as early as 2021.

Definition

A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a communication method based on the neural activity of the brain. Thus, it is a communication that is independent of normal output pathways such as gesture/movement and speech. The goal is not to determine a person's intention, but to provide the brain with a new communication that requires adaptive and active control by the user. A connection is established via the peripheral or central nervous system (brain and spinal cord nerves). This is because the very idea of an intended behavior or action triggers brain activity, which is to be converted into a digital command by means of BCI. However, the specific patterns that arise during an intended behavior must first be recognized and stored in the BCI so that a readout is possible. Machine learning algorithms or artificial intelligence are usually used for this purpose. For pattern recognition, the user must control his brain activity accordingly and concentrate precisely on the intended behavior.


There are two types of BCI:

  • Unidirectional BCI: There is no feedback to the user, the system usually consists of three elements which include recordings of the neural signals, analysis of the signals and the transmission of the command to a machine, e.g. an artificial hand is moved by the user's imagination.
  • Bidirectional BCI: In contrast to the unidirectional option, feedback is provided, e.g. the user is informed how strongly the hand has closed. Two additional components are required for this, so that the feedback is either physiological, through the stimulation of certain brain regions, or via active feedback to the user. 

Area of application

The areas of application for BCIs in which the electrical impulses generated in the brain are read and interpreted are currently limited primarily to the medical field and are designed for people with disabilities. In contrast, the commercially available BCIs in the gaming sector use the impulses from muscles under the scalp and recognize them.

However, there are also approaches to use BCIs in manufacturing. To this end, the Fraunhofer Institute is researching a way to improve visual inspections as part of quality assurance using BCI.

This is based on the knowledge that there is an attention response in the people’s brain when they notice a mistake or something surprising. This reaction can be measured and recorded using electroencephalography (EEG), faster than the user can perform a reaction. Thus, human activity can be supported by BCI.

Even though the usability of BCIs in manufacturing is very limited, increasing investment in this area is expected to lead to increased technological advances in the coming years.

 


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References

Dr. Anna Schulte-Loosen, Fraunhofer-Institut für Naturwissenschaftlich-Technische „Brain-Computer-Interfaces“ retrieved on 07.06.2021
https://www.int.fraunhofer.de/de/geschaeftsfelder/corporate-technology-foresight/Brain-Computer-Interfaces.html

sciencemediacenter „Brain-Machine-Interfaces – Gehirn und Maschine verknüpft“ retrieved on 07.06.2021
https://www.sciencemediacenter.de/alle-angebote/fact-sheet/details/news/brain-machine-interfaces-gehirn-und-maschine-verknuepft/

Gert Pfurtscheller, Christa Neuper & Niels Birbaumer „Human Brain–Computer Interface“ retrieved on 08.06.2021
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267792090_4_Human_Brain-Computer_Interface

Volkart Wildermuth „Brain-Computer-Interface Neuralink - Elon Musks Hirngespinst“ retrieved on 12.06.2021
https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/brain-computer-interface-neuralink-elon-musks-hirngespinst.676.de.html?dram:article_id=483469

Anirudh Vallabhaneni, Tao Wang & Bin He “BRAIN COMPUTER INTERFACE”
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227160438_Brain-Computer_Interface

Gopal Santhanam, Stephen I. Ryu, Byron M. Yu, Afsheen Afshar1& Krishna V. Shenoy “A high-performance brain–computer interface” Vol 442|13 July 2006 Nature Publishing Group

Elon Musk's Neuralink scientists are not the first to get a monkey to control a computer with its mind Isobel Asher Hamilton Apr 11, 2021
https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-neuralink-not-first-scientists-monkey-control-computer-mind-2021-4

Gehirn-Computer-Schnittstellen – eine neue Form der Kommunikation Brain-computer interfaces – a novel type of communication Grosse-Wentrup, Moritz Max-Planck-Institut für Intelligente Systeme, Standort Tübingen, Tübing
https://www.hci.iao.fraunhofer.de/de/Human-Centered-AI/feinfuehlige-technik/brain-computer-interface-in-der-produktion-.html

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