Spelling is Just a Click Away - A User-Centered Brain-Computer Interface Including Auto-Calibration and Predictive Text Entry

Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) based on event-related potentials (ERP) allow for selection of characters from a visually presented character-matrix and thus provide a communication channel for users with neurodegenerative disease. Although they have been topic of research for more than 20 years and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in neuroscience 2012-01, Vol.6, p.72-72
Main Authors: Kaufmann, Tobias, Völker, Stefan, Gunesch, Laura, Kübler, Andrea
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
auto-calibration
Brain
Brain-computer interface
Computer applications
Computer programs
Event-related potentials
Feasibility studies
Implants
Interfaces
Neurodegenerative diseases
Neuroscience
P300-Speller
predictive text entry
user-centred
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Summary:Brain-computer interfaces (BCI) based on event-related potentials (ERP) allow for selection of characters from a visually presented character-matrix and thus provide a communication channel for users with neurodegenerative disease. Although they have been topic of research for more than 20 years and were multiply proven to be a reliable communication method, BCIs are almost exclusively used in experimental settings, handled by qualified experts. This study investigates if ERP-BCIs can be handled independently by laymen without expert support, which is inevitable for establishing BCIs in end-user's daily life situations. Furthermore we compared the classic character-by-character text entry against a predictive text entry (PTE) that directly incorporates predictive text into the character-matrix. N = 19 BCI novices handled a user-centered ERP-BCI application on their own without expert support. The software individually adjusted classifier weights and control parameters in the background, invisible to the user (auto-calibration). All participants were able to operate the software on their own and to twice correctly spell a sentence with the auto-calibrated classifier (once with PTE, once without). Our PTE increased spelling speed and, importantly, did not reduce accuracy. In sum, this study demonstrates feasibility of auto-calibrating ERP-BCI use, independently by laymen and the strong benefit of integrating predictive text directly into the character-matrix.
ISSN:1662-4548
1662-453X
1662-4548
DOI:10.3389/fnins.2012.00072