Intracortical brain-computer interface for navigation in virtual reality in macaque monkeys

We present an innovative intracortical Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) to bridge the gap between laboratory settings and real-world applications. This BCI approach introduces three key advancements. First, we utilized neural signals from three macaque brain regions – primary motor, dorsal and ventral premotor cortex – enabling precise and flexible decoding of real-time three-dimensional (3D) sphere/avatar velocities. Second, we developed a realistic, immersive 3D virtual reality setup with dynamic camera tracking, allowing continuous navigation and obstacle avoidance that closely mimic real-world scenarios. Finally, our BCI approach is very well suited for use by paralyzed patients, featuring a brief passive fixation without overt movements and closed-loop operation without retraining of the decoder during online decoding, relying on the user’s neural plasticity and the decoder’s robust generalization across tasks. Our BCI adapted to different environments, targets, and obstacles, illust..., , , # Intracortical brain-computer interface for navigation in virtual reality in macaque monkeys

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.2bvq83c34](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.2bvq83c34)

## Description of the data and file structure

This dataset contains trial-level data from three rhesus macaques performing brain–computer interface (BCI) navigation tasks in Unity-based virtual environments. Data are provided as Python pickle files (.pkl) containing trial structures with timestamps, behavioral trajectories/velocities, and multiunit activity (spike threshold crossings) from Utah arrays implanted in motor cortical areas. For many sessions, synchronized eye-tracking and surface EMG recordings are also included as separate .pkl files. Spike detection thresholds used during each session are provided as .ccf files.

### Files and variables

#### File: Method_paper_data.zip

A compressed archive containing all session data organized by subject (“Monkey 1/2/3”) and task.

#### Folder organization inside ...,