Noninvasive Brain-Computer Interface Research at the Wadsworth Center

The primary goal of the Wadsworth Center brain-computer interface (BCI) program is to develop electroencephalographic (EEG) BCI systems that can provide severely disabled individuals with an alternative means of communication and/or control. We have shown that people with or without motor disabilities can learn to control sensorimotor rhythms recorded from the scalp to move a computer cursor in one or two dimensions and we have also used the P300 event-related potential as a control signal to make discrete selections. Overall, our research indicates there are several approaches that may provide alternatives for individuals with severe motor disabilities. We are now evaluating the practicality and effectiveness of a BCI communication system for daily use by such individuals in their homes.