Motor imagery and direct brain-computer communication

Motor imagery can modify the neuronal activity in the primary sensorimotor areas in a very similar way as observable with a real executed movement. One part of EEG-based brain-computer interfaces (BCI) is based on the recording and classification of circumscribed and transient EEG changes during different types of motor imagery such as, e.g., imagination of left-hand, right-hand, or foot movement. Features such as, e.g., band power or adaptive autoregressive parameters are either extracted in bipolar EEG recordings overlaying sensorimotor areas or from an array of electrodes located over central and neighboring areas. For the classification of the features, linear discrimination analysis and neural networks are used. Characteristic for the Graz BCI is that a classifier is set up in a learning session and updated after one or more sessions with online feedback using the procedure of “rapid prototyping.” As a result, a discrimination of two brain states (e.g., leftversus right-hand movement imagination) can be reached within only a few days of training. At this time, a tetraplegic patient is able to operate an EEG-based control of a hand orthosis with nearly 100% classification accuracy by mental imagination of specific motor commands     

A mu-rhythm matched filter for continuous control of a brain-computer interface.

A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a system that provides an alternate nonmuscular communication/control channel for individuals with severe neuromuscular disabilities. With proper training, individuals can learn to modulate the amplitude of specific electroencephalographic (EEG) components (e.g., the 8-12 Hz mu rhythm and 18-26 Hz beta rhythm) over the sensorimotor cortex and use them to control a cursor on a computer screen. Conventional spectral techniques for monitoring the continuous amplitude fluctuations fail to capture essential amplitude/phase relationships of the mu and beta rhythms in a compact fashion and, therefore, are suboptimal. By extracting the characteristic mu rhythm for a user, the exact morphology can be characterized and exploited as a matched filter. A simple, parameterized model for the characteristic mu rhythm is proposed and its effectiveness as a matched filter is examined online for a one-dimensional cursor control task. The results suggest that amplitude/phase coupling exists between the mu and beta bands during event-related desynchronization, and that an appropriate matched filter can provide improved performance.     

A μ-Rhythm Matched Filter for Continuous Control of a Brain-Computer Interface

A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a system that provides an alternate nonmuscular communication/control channel for individuals with severe neuromuscular disabilities. With proper training, individuals can learn to modulate the amplitude of specific electroencephalographic (EEG) components (e.g., the 8-12 Hz mu rhythm and 18-26 Hz beta rhythm) over the sensorimotor cortex and use them to control a cursor on a computer screen. Conventional spectral techniques for monitoring the continuous amplitude fluctuations fail to capture essential amplitude/phase relationships of the mu and beta rhythms in a compact fashion and, therefore, are suboptimal. By extracting the characteristic mu rhythm for a user, the exact morphology can be characterized and exploited as a matched filter. A simple, parameterized model for the characteristic mu rhythm is proposed and its effectiveness as a matched filter is examined online for a one-dimensional cursor control task. The results suggest that amplitude/phase coupling exists between the mu and beta bands during event-related desynchronization, and that an appropriate matched filter can provide improved performance     

BCI Competition 2003--Data set III: probabilistic modeling of sensorimotor mu rhythms for classification of imaginary hand movements

Brain-computer interfaces require effective online processing of electroencephalogram (EEG) measurements, e.g., as a part of feedback systems. We present an algorithm for single-trial online classification of imaginary left and right hand movements, based on time-frequency information derived from filtering EEG wideband raw data with causal Morlet wavelets, which are adapted to individual EEG spectra. Since imaginary hand movements lead to perturbations of the ongoing pericentral mu rhythm, we estimate probabilistic models for amplitude modulation in lower (10 Hz) and upper (20 Hz) frequency bands over the sensorimotor hand cortices both contra- and ipsilaterally to the imagined movements (i.e., at EEG channels C3 and C4). We use an integrative approach to accumulate over time evidence for the subject's unknown motor intention. Disclosure of test data labels after the competition showed this approach to succeed with an error rate as low as 10.7%.     

Toward unsupervised adaptation of LDA for brain-computer interfaces

There is a step of significant difficulty experienced by brain-computer interface (BCI) users when going from the calibration recording to the feedback application. This effect has been previously studied and a supervised adaptation solution has been proposed. In this paper, we suggest a simple unsupervised adaptation method of the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifier that effectively solves this problem by counteracting the harmful effect of nonclass-related nonstationarities in electroencephalography (EEG) during BCI sessions performed with motor imagery tasks. For this, we first introduce three types of adaptation procedures and investigate them in an offline study with 19 datasets. Then, we select one of the proposed methods and analyze it further. The chosen classifier is offline tested in data from 80 healthy users and four high spinal cord injury patients. Finally, for the first time in BCI literature, we apply this unsupervised classifier in online experiments. Additionally, we show that its performance is significantly better than the state-of-the-art supervised approach.     

The Berlin Brain--Computer Interface: accurate performance from first-session in BCI-naïve subjects

The Berlin Brain--Computer Interface (BBCI) project develops a noninvasive BCI system whose key features are: 1) the use of well-established motor competences as control paradigms; 2) high-dimensional features from multichannel EEG; and 3) advanced machine-learning techniques. Spatio-spectral changes of sensorimotor rhythms are used to discriminate imagined movements (left hand, right hand, and foot). A previous feedback study [M. Krauledat, K.-R. MÜller, and G. Curio. (2007) The non-invasive Berlin brain--computer Interface: Fast acquisition of effective performance in untrained subjects. NeuroImage. [Online]. 37(2), pp. 539--550. Available: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2007.01.051] with ten subjects provided preliminary evidence that the BBCI system can be operated at high accuracy for subjects with less than five prior BCI exposures. Here, we demonstrate in a group of 14 fully BCI-naÏve subjects that 8 out of 14 BCI novices can perform at $ ≫ $84% accuracy in their very first BCI session, and a further four subjects at $ ≫ $70%. Thus, 12 out of 14 BCI-novices had significant above-chance level performances without any subject training even in the first session, as based on an optimized EEG analysis by advanced machine-learning algorithms.      

Real-Time Brain-Computer Interface System Based on Motor Imagery

Abstract-A brain-computer interface （BCI） real- time system based on motor imagery translates the user＇s motor intention into a real-time control signal for peripheral equipments. A key problem to be solved for practical applications is real-time data collection and processing. In this paper, a real-time BCI system is implemented on computer with electroencephalogram amplifier. In our implementation, the on-line voting method is adopted for feedback control strategy, and the voting results are used to control the cursor horizontal movement. Three subjects take part in the experiment. The results indicate that the best accuracy is 90%.     

A fully on-line adaptive BCI

A viable fully on-line adaptive brain computer interface (BCI) is introduced. On-line experiments with nine naive and able-bodied subjects were carried out using a continuously adaptive BCI system. The data were analyzed and the viability of the system was studied. The BCI was based on motor imagery, the feature extraction was performed with an adaptive autoregressive model and the classifier used was an adaptive quadratic discriminant analysis. The classifier was on-line updated by an adaptive estimation of the information matrix (ADIM). The system was also able to provide continuous feedback to the subject. The success of the feedback was studied analyzing the error rate and mutual information of each session and this analysis showed a clear improvement of the subject's control of the BCI from session to session.     

Target selection with hybrid feature for BCI-based 2-D cursor control

To control a cursor on a monitor screen, a user generally needs to perform two tasks sequentially. The first task is to move the cursor to a target on the monitor screen (termed a 2-D cursor movement), and the second task is either to select a target of interest by clicking on it or to reject a target that is not of interest by not clicking on it. In a previous study, we implemented the former function in an EEG-based brain-computer interface system using motor imagery and the P300 potential to control the horizontal and vertical cursor movements, respectively. In this study, the target selection or rejection functionality is implemented using a hybrid feature from motor imagery and the P300 potential. Specifically, to select the target of interest, the user must focus his or her attention on a flashing button to evoke the P300 potential, while simultaneously maintaining an idle state of motor imagery. Otherwise, the user performs left-/right-hand motor imagery without paying attention to any buttons to reject the target. Our data analysis and online experimental results validate the effectiveness of our approach. The proposed hybrid feature is shown to be more effective than the use of either the motor imagery feature or the P300 feature alone. Eleven subjects attended our online experiment, in which a trial involved sequential 2-D cursor movement and target selection. The average duration of each trial and average accuracy of target selection were 18.19 s and 93.99% , respectively, and each target selection or rejection event was performed within 2 s.     

Design of electrode layout for motor imagery based brain?computer interface

A simple electroencephalogram (EEG) electrode layout is proposed to implement a motor imagery based brain-computer interface (BCI). The design was derived from investigation of EEG synchronisation in the motor cortex. A significant improvement in BCI performance was obtained in the new system     

Asymmetric hemisphere modeling in an offline brain-computerinterface

Classification of the electroencephalogram (EEG) during motor imagery of the left or right hand can be performed using a classifier comprising two hidden Markov models (HMMs) describing the spatio-temporal patterns related to the imagination. Due to the known asymmetries during motor imagery of rightand left-hand movement, an HMM-based classifier allowing asymmetrical structures is introduced. The comparison between such a system and a symmetrical one is based on the error rate of classification. The results for EEG data collected during 20 sessions from five subjects demonstrate a significant improvement of 9% for the classification accuracy for the asymmetric classifiers. The selection of the DAM for classification is done using a variant of genetic algorithms (GAs); namely, the adaptive reservoir genetic algorithm (ARGA)     

基于运动想象的异步在线脑-机接口系统

目前,运动想象脑-机接口( motor imagery brain computer interface,MIBCI) 的离线分析和研究相对比较成熟,但是异步在线MIBCI始终具有挑战性。针对在线BCI系统的识别率和控制方式,提出了利用共空间模式(common spatial pattern,CSP)算法对运动想象(motor imagery,MI)进行特征提取并结合alpha波进行异步控制。构建了一种简单实用的自主控制小球运动MIBCI实验系统。有四名受试者参加了在线实验,其中有两名受试者在线运动想象识别正确率最高能达到100%。实验结果验证了本文所建系统的可行性和实用性。      

Real-Time Brain-Computer Interface System Based on Motor Imagery

A brain-computer interface (BCI) realtime system based on motor imagery translates the user's motor intention into a real-time control signal for peripheral equipments. A key problem to be solved for practical applications is real-time data collection and processing. In this paper, a real-time BCI system is implemented on computer with electroencephalogram amplifier. In our implementation, the on-line voting method is adopted for feedback control strategy, and the voting results are used to control the cursor horizontal movement. Three subjects take part in the experiment. The results indicate that the best accuracy is 90%.     

基于脑功能网络和样本熵的脑电信号特征提取

针对脑-机接口(BCI)研究中采用单一特征对运动想象脑电信号(EEG)识别率不高的问题,该文提出一种结合脑功能网络和样本熵的特征提取方法。根据事件相关同步/去同步(ERS/ERD)现象以及皮层与肢体运动想象间的对侧映射机制,选取小波包变换消噪重构后的\begin{document}$ \mu$\end{document}节律脑电信号,用左侧27个通道、右侧27个通道分别对左半球脑区和右半球脑区构建脑功能网络,计算网络的平均节点度和平均聚集系数作为运动想象的脑功能网络特征,并结合C3, C4通道节律的样本熵构筑分布性和指向性相结合的特征向量。选用支持向量机(SVM)对左右手运动想象脑电信号进行分类,结果表明基于脑功能网络和样本熵的特征提取方法能够实现更优的分类效果,分类准确率最高可达90.27%。     

Online classification of single EEG trials during finger movements.

Many offline studies have explored the feasibility of EEG potentials related to single limb movements for a brain-computer interface (BCI) control signal. However, only few functional online single-trial BCI systems have been reported. We investigated whether inexperienced subjects could control a BCI accurately by means of visually-cued left versus right index finger movements, performed every 2 s, after only a 20-min training period. Ten subjects tried to move a circle from the center to a target location at the left or right side of the computer screen by moving their left or right index finger. The classifier was updated after each trial using the correct class labels, enabling up-to-date feedback to the subjects throughout the training. Therefore, a separate data collection session for optimizing the classification algorithm was not needed. When the performance of the BCI was tested, the classifier was not updated. Seven of the ten subjects were able to control the BCI well. They could choose the correct target in 84%-100% of the cases, 3.5-7.7 times a minute. Their mean single trial classification rate was 80% and bit rate 10 bits/min. These results encourage the development of BCIs for paralyzed persons based on detection of single-trial movement attempts.     

基于脑电和眼电的运动想象多尺度识别方法研究

基于脑电信号对同一肢体不同动作想象模式进行识别的正确率低,已成为基于脑机接口对肢体瘫痪患者进行运动想象训练监控的方法,获得临床应用前必须解决的瓶颈问题.针对该问题,本文提出一种利用运动想象时眼睛的活动状态与所想象肢体动作之间存在的耦合关系,进行运动想象多尺度识别的新方法.该方法首先在大尺度上,利用脑电信号对运动想象是否发生进行识别,再结合同一运动想象过程眼电信号协同变化模式的识别结果,基于决策融合在更精细的尺度上,对同一肢体不同动作的想象模式进行识别.实验结果表明,仅基于脑电进行右臂三种动作想象模式识别的平均正确率为63.0%,而应用所提出方法可以将其提高到91.4%.所提出方法可望有临床应用前景.     

Listen to the Brain in Real Time-The Chengdu Brainwave Music

Electroencephalogram (EEG) provides a window for the activity of the human brain. As a novel form of the brain-computer interface (BCI), the online/offline EEG data may be interpreted through its auditory representation which can be considered as a specific tool in EEG monitoring and analysis. In this work, after a comprehensive comparison of the various designs of brainwave music generations, a waveform event mapping system for music display in real time-the Chengdu Brainwave Music (CBM) is proposed, which is a special on-line BCI system. In CBM, the user datagram protocol (UDP) is adopted to transport EEG data from the recorder to a music generator. The CBM could possibly be used as an audio feedback tool in BCI, or a monitoring tool in clinic EEG, and a subject specified music therapy method.     

Listening to the Brain in Real Time-- The Chengdu Brainwave Music

Electroencephalogram （EEG） provides a window for the activity of the human brain. As a novel form of the brain-computer interface （BCI）, the online/offline EEG data may be interpreted through its auditory representation which can be considered as a specific tool in EEG monitoring and analysis. In this work, after a comprehensive comparison of the various designs of brainwave music generations, a waveform event mapping system for music display in real time-- the Chengdu Brainwave Music （CBM） is proposed, which is a special on-line BCI system. In CBM, the user datagram protocol （UDP） is adopted to transport EEG data from the recorder to a music generator. The CBM could possibly be used as an audio feedback tool in BCI, or a monitoring tool in clinic EEG, and a subject specified music therapy method.     

基于可调Q因子小波变换的识别左右手运动想象脑电模式研究

针对识别左右手运动想象脑电图信号(EEG)模式精度和互信息不高的问题,该文采用基于可调Q因子小波变换(TQWT)算法来处理脑电信号。首先,利用TQWT对脑电图信号进行分解;随后,提取子频带信号的小波系数能量、自回归模型(AR)系数以及分形维数;最后,利用线性判别分析(LDA)对提取的脑电特征进行识别。采用BCI2003和BCI2005竞赛数据对所提出的算法进行验证,4名受试者的最高识别率分别为88.11%, 89.33%, 77.13%和78.80%,最大互信息分别为0.95, 0.96, 0.43和0.45。实验结果表明,所提算法取得了高分类精度及互信息值,验证了其有效性。     

基于条件经验模式分解和串并行CNN的脑电信号识别

针对运动想象脑电信号(EEG)的非线性、非平稳特点,该文提出一种结合条件经验模式分解(CEMD)和串并行卷积神经网络(SPCNN)的脑电信号识别方法。在CEMD过程中,采用各阶固有模式分量(IMF)与原始信号的相关性系数作为第1个IMF筛选条件,在此基础上,提出各阶IMF之间的相对能量占有率作为第2个IMF筛选条件。此外,为了考虑脑电信号各个通道之间的特征和突出每个通道内的特征,该文提出SPCNN网络模型对进行CEMD过程后的脑电信号进行分类。实验结果表明,在自行采集的脑电数据集上平均识别率达到94.58%。在公开数据集BCI competition IV 2b上平均识别率达到82.13%,比卷积神经网络提高了3.85%。最后,在自行设计的智能轮椅脑电控制平台上进行了轮椅前进、左转和右转在线控制实验,验证了该文算法对脑电信号识别的有效性。