RELATING TO BRAIN COMPUTER INTERFACES

• US 20110238685A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Damstra, Marijn Christian, Garcia Molina, Gary Nelson, Weda, Johannes, Bruekers, Alphons Antonius Maria Lambertus
• Granted Patent: US 8,862,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/372 Analysis of electroencephalograms
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/00 ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance

Abstract

A method of creating a user profile (24) for use in a brain computer interface (40) comprises performing a training exercise, measuring a user'"'"'s brain signals (20) during the training exercise, mapping specific signals of the user'"'"'s brain signals to predefined mental task descriptions, and creating a user profile (24) comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals mapped to the mental task descriptions. The user profile so created can be used in a method of creating a brain computer interface for a user (18) for an application (34). This method comprises accessing a user profile comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals mapped to mental task descriptions, accessing an application profile (38) comprising a plurality of properties of the application, matching one or more mental task descriptions from the user profile to a respective property from the application profile, and creating a brain computer interface accordingly.

Claims

1. A method of creating a user profile (24) for use in a brain computer interface (40) comprising

performing (S21) a training exercise,

measuring (S22) a user'"'"'s brain signals (20) during the training exercise,

mapping (S23) specific signals of the user'"'"'s brain signals to predefined mental task descriptions (23), and

creating (S24) a user profile (24) comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals (20) mapped to the mental task descriptions (23).

2. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising measuring a user'"'"'s fatigue during the training exercise.

3. A method according to claim 2, and further comprising recording information (25) relating to the measured fatigue in the user profile (24).

4. A method according to claim 2, and further comprising terminating the training exercise when the measured fatigue (25) exceeds a predetermined threshold.

5. A method according to claim 1, and further comprising receiving manual input defining restrictions in relation to the predefined mental task descriptions (23), and recording the manual input in the user profile (24).

6. A system (10) for creating a user profile (24) for use in a brain computer interface (40) comprising

a training unit (12) arranged to perform a training exercise,

a head unit (14) arranged to measure a user'"'"'s brain signals (20) during the training exercise, and

a processing function (22) arranged to map specific signals of the user'"'"'s brain signals (20) to predefined mental task descriptions (23), and to create a user profile (24) comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals (20) mapped to the mental task descriptions (23).

7. A system (10) according to claim 6, wherein the processing function (22) is further arranged to measure a user'"'"'s fatigue during the training exercise.

8. A system (10) according to claim 7, wherein the processing function (22) is further arranged to record information (25) relating to the measured fatigue in the user profile (24).

9. A system (10) according to claim 7, wherein the processing function (22) is further arranged to terminate the training exercise when the measured fatigue (25) exceeds a predetermined threshold.

10. A system (10) according to claim 6, and further comprising a user interface (28) arranged to receive manual input defining restrictions in relation to the predefined mental task descriptions (23), wherein the processing function (22) is further arranged to record the manual input in the user profile (24).

11. A computer program product on a computer readable medium for creating a user profile (24) for use in a brain computer interface (40), the product comprising instructions for

performing (S21) a training exercise,

measuring (S22) a user'"'"'s brain signals (20) during the training exercise,

mapping (S23) specific signals of the user'"'"'s brain signals to predefined mental task descriptions (23), and

creating (S24) a user profile (24) comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals (20) mapped to the mental task descriptions (23).

12. A computer program product according to claim 11, and further comprising instructions for measuring a user'"'"'s fatigue during the training exercise.

13. A computer program product according to claim 12, and further comprising instructions for recording information (25) relating to the measured fatigue in the user profile (24).

14. A computer program product according to claim 12, and further comprising instructions for terminating the training exercise when the measured fatigue (25) exceeds a predetermined threshold.

15. A computer program product according to claim 11, and further comprising instructions for receiving manual input defining restrictions in relation to the predefined mental task descriptions (23), and for recording the manual input in the user profile (24).

16. A method of creating a brain computer interface (40) for a user (18) for an application (34) comprising

accessing (S41) a user profile (24) comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals (20) mapped to mental task descriptions (23),

accessing (S42) an application profile (38) comprising a plurality of properties (27) of the application,

matching (S43) one or more mental task descriptions (23) from the user profile (24) to a respective property (27) from the application profile (38), and

creating (S44) a brain computer interface (40) accordingly.

17. A method according to claim 16, and further comprising accessing a fatigue component (25) in the user profile (24) and adjusting the brain computer interface (40) accordingly.

18. A method according to claim 16, and further comprising accessing a manual input component in the user profile (24) and adjusting the brain computer interface (40) accordingly.

19. A system for creating a brain computer interface (40) for a user (18) for an application (34) comprising

a database (26) arranged to store a user profile (24) comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals (20) mapped to mental task descriptions (23) and an application profile (38) comprising a plurality of properties (27) of the application (34), and

a processor (36) arranged to access the user profile (24) and the application profile (38), to match one or more mental task descriptions (23) from the user profile (240 to a respective property (27) from the application profile (38), and to create a brain computer interface (40) accordingly.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the processor (36) is further arranged to access a fatigue component (25) in the user profile (24) and to adjust the brain computer interface (40) accordingly.

21. A system according to claim 19, wherein the processor (36) is further arranged to access a manual input component in the user profile (24) and to adjust the brain computer interface (40) accordingly.

22. A computer program product on a computer readable medium for creating a brain computer interface for a user (18) for an application (34), the product comprising instructions for

accessing (S41) a user profile (24) comprising the user'"'"'s brain signals (20) mapped to mental task descriptions (23),

accessing (S42) an application profile (38) comprising a plurality of properties (27) of the application (34),

matching (S43) one or more mental task descriptions (23) from the user profile (24) to a respective property (27) from the application profile (38), and

creating (S44) a brain computer interface (40) accordingly.

23. A computer program product according to claim 22, and further comprising instructions for accessing a fatigue component (25) in the user profile (24) and for adjusting the brain computer interface (40) accordingly.

24. A computer program product according to claim 22, and further comprising instructions for accessing a manual input component in the user profile (24) and for adjusting the brain computer interface (40) accordingly.