A Brain Computer Interface for Communication Using Real-Time fMRI

• We present the first step towards a brain computer interface (BCI) for communication using real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The subject in the MR scanner sees a virtual keyboard and steers a cursor to select different letters that can be combined to create words. The cursor is moved to the left by activating the left hand, to the right by activating the right hand, down by activating the left toes and up by activating the right toes. To select a letter, the subject simply rests for a number of seconds. We can thus communicate with the subject in the scanner by for example showing questions that the subject can answer. Similar BCI for communication have been made with electroencephalography (EEG). The subject then focuses on a letter while different rows and columns of the virtual keyboard are flashing and the system tries to detect if the correct letter is flashing or not. In our setup we instead classify the brain activity. Our system is neither limited to a communication interface, but can be used for any interface where five degrees of freedom is necessary.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinsk bioteknologi -- Biomedicinsk laboratorievetenskap/teknologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Medical Biotechnology -- Biomedical Laboratory Science/Technology (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Elektroteknik och elektronik -- Reglerteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering -- Control Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Biomedical MRI

Medical image processing

Real-time systems

Medical informatics

Medicinsk informatik

Automatic control

Reglerteknik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)