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Sending Messages With Your Brain Via EEG
An anonymous reader writes "From a University of Wisconsin-Madison announcement: 'In early April, Adam Wilson posted a status update on the social networking Web site Twitter — just by thinking about it. Just 23 characters long, his message, 'using EEG to send tweet,' demonstrates a natural, manageable way in which "locked-in" patients can couple brain-computer interface technologies with modern communication tools. A University of Wisconsin-Madison biomedical engineering doctoral student, Wilson is among a growing group of researchers worldwide who aim to perfect a communication system for users whose bodies do not work, but whose brains function normally.' A brief rundown of the system: Users focus on a monitor displaying a keyboard; the interface measures electrical impulses in the brain to print the chosen letters one by one. Wilson compares the learning curve to texting, calling it 'kind of a slow process at first.' But even practice doesn't bring it quite up to texting speed: 'I've seen people do up to eight characters per minute,' says Wilson. See video of the system in action."
If this relies on a screen why not just use the screen and use pupil tracking to determine what letter people want to "type" instead of thinking about it which seems so far slow.
I would think that this would be an excellent application for Dasher, which should bring the speed way up above 8 cpm.
Perfect for saying "KILL ME " over and over again.
Good one. I always employ that sequence (I learned originally in Hoftstadter's Godel, Escher, Bach) when I play Hangman. I never lose.
...the future crusty old bastards are already drinking the Kool-Aid.
I used to use Dasher before ALS took my hands completely. It flies by way too fast and the letter choice way too "random" to be useful in the current application.
Perhaps if the sensing algorithm gets an order of magnitude faster and more precise, but in the average lifetime of a person diagnosed today with ALS or locked-in syndrome it will not happen.
I have something in common with Stephen Hawking...
Similar things have been done. Robot arms can be moved by the mind. Rats brains have flown F14 fighters. EEG sensors placed directly onto the brain (rather than onto the head) produce far more detailed information - it's not a stretch to suggest that some day a sensor layer will be placed onto the inside of the skull with a connection to the outside world.
You could, of course, play with EEG technology yourself. The OpenEEG project details the hardware needed and provides some basic software. See if you can find ways to get better results by changing the antenna used. See if you can get results good enough to be able to control your character in Quake or Netrek - a lot simpler than your average F14!
I mean, wiring your home computer to your brain... what could possibly go wrong?
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)