Brain computer interface

• US 20050131311A1
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Washington University In St Louis
• Original Assignee: Washington University In St Louis
• Inventors: Leuthardt, Eric C., Schalk, Gerwin, Moran, Daniel W., Ojemann, Jeffrey G., Wolpaw, Jonathan Rickel
• Granted Patent: US 7,120,486 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/545
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 4/00 Methods or devices enabling patients or disabled persons to operate an apparatus or a device not forming part of the body operating or control means for prostheses A61F2/48, A61F2/68
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection

Abstract

An electrocorticography-based brain computer interface (BCI) and related methods are described.

Claims

1. A BCI comprising:

an electrode array implanted beneath the scalp of a user for acquiring ECoG signals of the subject;

an acquisition computer coupled to the electrode array for collecting and storing the ECoG signals; and

coupled to the acquisition computer a BCI computer having software configured to analyze the ECoG signals to determine an intent of the user.

2. A BCI according to claim 1 further comprising an output device communicatively coupled to the BCI computer, the BCI computer further configured to generate a device command from the intent of the user.

3. A BCI according to claim 1 wherein said electrode array provides signals of mu, beta and gamma rhythms of the user.

4. A BCI according to claim 1 wherein said electrode array provides signals having a significant frequency content (power) of greater than about 40 Hz.

5. A BCI comprising acquisition hardware for acquiring an ECoG signal communicatively coupled to a BCI computer configured to analyze the ECoG signal to determine an intent of a user.

6. A BCI according to claim 5 further comprising an output device communicatively coupled to the BCI computer, the BCI computer further configured to generate a device command from the intent of the user, to control the output device.

7. A method for providing control of an output device by a user comprising:

providing an ECoG-based BCI to the user for determining an intent of the user from ECoG signals of the user'"'"'s brain activity; and

communicating the intent of the user to the output device.

8. A method according to claim 7 comprising:

monitoring brain activity of the user;

collecting ECoG signals of the user'"'"'s brain activity;

computer processing the ECoG signals to determine the intent of the user with respect to the output device;

generating from the intent of the user a device command to the output device;

communicating the device command to the output device.

9. A method according to claim 8 further comprising:

monitoring a position of the output device; and

providing feedback to the user on the position of the output device with respect to a target position.

10. A method according to claim 8 wherein monitoring the brain activity of the user comprises monitoring mu, beta and gamma rhythms of the user.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein collecting ECoG signals of user'"'"'s brain activity comprises collecting ECoG signals having a significant frequency content (power) of more than about 40 Hz.

12. A method of controlling movement of a cursor on a computer monitor in real time comprising:

monitoring ECoG signals of the brain activity of a subject;

analyzing the ECoG signals to determine the intent of the user with respect to the cursor movement;

comparing the intent of the user to a current position of the cursor;

generating from the intent of the user a device command to the computer monitor to move the cursor;

providing feedback to the user on the current position of the cursor;

reanalyzing the ECoG signal to determine an intended correction by the user with respect to the cursor movement;

communicating the intended correction by the user to the computer monitor to modify movement of the cursor.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12, wherein analyzing the ECoG signal comprises analyzing the ECoG to determine the intent of the user with respect to the cursor movement in at least two dimensions, and communicating the intent of the user to the display to move the cursor comprises moving the cursor in at least two dimensions.