A Brain Computer Interface for Communication Using Real-Time fMRI

The poster of our ICPR paper "A Brain Computer Interface for Communication Using Real-Time fMRI" Abstract We present the first step towards a brain computer interface (BCI) for communication using real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The subject in the MR scanner sees a virtual keyboard and steers a cursor to select different letters that can be combined to create words. The cursor is moved to the left by activating the left hand, to the right by activating the right hand, down by activating the left toes and up by activating the right toes. To select a letter, the subject simply rests for a number of seconds. We can thus communicate with the subject in the scanner by for example showing questions that the subject can answer. Similar BCI for communication have been made with electroencephalography (EEG). In these implementations the subject for example focuses on a letter while different rows and columns of the virtual keyboard are flashing. The system then tries to detect if the correct letter is flashing or not. In our setup we instead classify the brain activity. Our system is not limited to a communication interface, but can be used for any interface where five degrees of freedom is necessary.我们发表于国际模式识别会议（ICPR）的论文《基于实时功能磁共振成像的通信脑机接口》的海报及摘要 摘要：我们提出了基于实时功能磁共振成像（functional magnetic resonance imaging，fMRI）的通信脑机接口（Brain Computer Interface，BCI）的首个研究方案，迈出了该领域的研究第一步。扫描室内的受试者可看到虚拟键盘，并通过操控光标选择不同字母以组合生成单词。受试者可通过激活左手使光标左移、激活右手使光标右移、激活左侧脚趾使光标下移、激活右侧脚趾使光标上移；若需选定某一字母，受试者仅需保持静止数秒即可。借此，我们可通过向扫描室内的受试者展示问题等方式实现双向通信，受试者可对问题作出应答。此前已有基于脑电图（electroencephalography，EEG）的同类通信脑机接口方案：此类方案中，受试者通常会聚焦于某一字母，同时虚拟键盘的各行、各列会依次闪烁；系统随后会尝试检测受试者所关注的字母是否处于闪烁状态。而本研究的系统则转而对脑活动进行分类识别。本系统不仅可作为通信接口使用，还可应用于任何需要五自由度的交互场景。