Virtual Reality in BrainComputer Interface Research

F. Lee 1, R. Scherer 2, H. Bischof 1, G. Pfurtscheller

1) 2) 2

Institute for Computer Graphics and Vision Institute for Human-Computer Interfaces

Outline

Overview of Brain Computer Interface (BCI) Problems in BCI research Studierstube combined with BCI Experiments Further work

Brain Computer Interface

A Brain-Computer Interface is a communication system that do not depend on peripheral nerves and muscles Applications:

Patient with severe movement disorders: Control external devices (neuroprosthesis, wheelchair) by mental focus Entertainment (games) Military Use (fighter pilots)

Graz BCI system

Graz-BCI system based on classification of motor imagery related brain activity changes in ongoing EEG

Electrodes placed on the scalp Movement imagination (left hand, right hand, foot or tongue)
Primary Motor Cortex

Homunculus
Primary Somato Sensory Cortex

Motor execution vs. Movement imagination

Execution

Imagination
500ms

time

ERD

ERS

Subject g3, 16-20 Hz

Subject f7, 20-24 Hz

Simplified model of the BCI system

Problems in BCI Research

Time-consuming training

Which kind of movement imagination is better?

Impact of visual stimulus on the motor cortex activity and resulting EEG

Can lead to deterioration of motor imagery related EEG pattern Correct visual feedback should help user to get more control on the own brain activity

Goal

Design an accurate BCI system which needs only few training sessions

Investigation of different classification methods Presentation of better visual feedback Studierstube (stereoscopic 3-D scene, tracking)

BCI combined with Studierstube

Experiments

Rotate the cube by mental focus

Feature extraction: adaptive autoregressive parameter Feature mapping: PCA Feedback: rotation, size, color of cube

Observation of Movement

Further work

Virtual flat Navigastion: e.g moving into bathroom

Thank you for your attention