Image provider University of Texas at Austin
Researchers have developed a wearable brain-computer interface (BCI) that allows users to play video games simply by using their brains.
But that's not all.As detailed in a new study published in the journal PNAS NexusThe device (a black and red cap lined with EEG-sensing electrodes) is designed for anyone to use without the extensive calibration or invasive surgical procedures required with other BCIs. , making this technology easier and more universal to use.it's not very It's nice out of the box, but we're getting there.
“If you think about this in a clinical setting, this technology could eliminate the need for specialized teams to go through this long and tedious calibration process,” said study lead author Satyam Kumar of the University of Texas. Stated. Austin released a statement about the piece. “It will move from patient to patient much faster.”
Other BCIs can also allow users to control computers or robotic prosthetics. For example, a paralyzed man who received a Neuralink brain implant demonstrated how he used the device to play Mario Kart. be friend.
However, brain implants require difficult surgeries and can come with significant costs and complications. And until now, non-invasive BCIs like electrode caps have sometimes required a great deal of specialized work to fine-tune them to the user's brain.
Researchers were aware of these pitfalls and sought a “one-size-fits-all solution.” Using a machine learning model, they developed a so-called “decoder” trained on a single “expert” human subject who completed a simple game of balancing a digital bar using a BCI. did.
The abilities of these experts turned out to be surprisingly transferable. Using the completed decoder, the BCI device was tested on her 18 “naiver” subjects (people with no experience using this type of technology). The subjects were able to train not only for the bar game but also for the car race in just five sessions.game at the same time.
That's a surprisingly quick response. Using a BCI is typically a learned skill that can take weeks or months to master. In this case, it seems like it only takes a moment. In a demonstration by researchers at last month's SXSW festival, several volunteers learned how to use brain caps to control two hand and arm rehabilitation robots within minutes.
That's impressive, but their work isn't done yet. All subjects tested were healthy and had no movement disorders. Before their technology can be adopted by the mainstream, it needs to be proven for people with disabilities.
“The point of this technology is to help people and help them with their daily lives,” says study co-author Jose del R. Millan, a professor of neurology at the University of Texas at Austin. “We will continue down this path to help people.”
BCI details: FDA did not test Neuralink before granting approval for human trials
