A Small, Portable, Battery-Powered Brain-Computer Interface System for Motor Rehabilitation

Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc, 2016 · DOI: 10.1109/EMBC.2016.7591306 · Published: August 1, 2016

Neurology Neurorehabilitation Biomedical

Simple Explanation

This paper introduces a small, portable, and cost-effective brain-computer interface (BCI) system designed for motor rehabilitation. It utilizes a custom EEG amplifier array, a commercial microcontroller, and a touchscreen. The system was tested on able-bodied subjects who performed a movement-related BCI task involving alternating between relaxing and dorsiflexing their right foot. The BCI system decoded their movement state from EEG signals in real-time. The results showed that the custom amplifier's EEG signals were comparable to a commercial amplifier. The real-time BCI operation achieved an average correlation between instructional cues and decoded states comparable to full-size BCI systems.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

3 able-bodied subjects

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
The custom-designed EEG amplifier array produced EEG signals similar in quality to a commercial amplifier, with a maximum correlation coefficient of ρ=0.85.
2
The real-time BCI system achieved an average correlation of ρ=0.70 between instructional cues and decoded BCI states across all subjects, which is comparable to full-size BCI systems.
3
The BCI system, including the EEG cap, costs less than $200, making it a cost-efficient solution for motor rehabilitation.

Research Summary

The study presents a small, portable, and inexpensive BCI system for motor rehabilitation using a custom EEG amplifier array and commercial components. The system's performance was evaluated on able-bodied subjects performing a movement-related task, demonstrating comparable EEG signal quality and real-time decoding accuracy to commercial systems. The cost-effectiveness and portability of the system may promote widespread adoption of BCI-based movement rehabilitation devices for stroke and spinal cord injury patients.

Practical Implications

Affordable Rehabilitation

The low cost of the system allows for more accessible BCI therapy.

At-Home Therapy

The portability and ease of use enable at-home rehabilitation exercises.

Wider Adoption

Simplified setup promotes the use of BCI for stroke and SCI recovery.

Study Limitations

1
The study was conducted on a small sample of able-bodied subjects.
2
The system was tested with a specific movement-related task (dorsiflexion), and its effectiveness with other motor tasks needs to be evaluated.
3
The effect of environmental noise on system performance requires further investigation.

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