Non-Manual Control Devices

摘要

Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology augments the human capability to interact with the environment by directly linking the brain to artificial devices. The first generation of BCIs provided simple 1D control in order to select targets on a screen or trigger pre-defined motion sequences of paralyzed limbs by means of functional electrical stimulation. BCIs today can provide users on-demand access to assistive robotic devices, Virtual Reality environments, and standard software applications such as Internet browsers. Here, we introduce readers to BCIs and review basic principles and methodologies underlying their operation. We illustrate the capabilities and limitations of modern BCI systems by discussing two practical examples: BCI-based control of a humanoid robot for physical manipulation and transport of objects in an indoor environment, and BCI-based interaction with the popular global navigation program Google Earth.