Brain-body actuated system
First Claim
1. A method for controlling at least two functions of a device in response to EEG biopotentials produced by brain activity in a user and EMG biopotentials produced by muscle activity in the user, the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting the EEG and EMG biopotentials;
selecting at least two reference frequencies within a predetermined range of selectable frequencies;
producing in response to the EEG and EMG biopotentials, a single input signal representing an aggregate of the EEG and EMG biopotentials, said single input signal changing as a function of changes in either the EEG or the EMG biopotentials;
generating at least two control signals in response to said reference frequencies and said single input signal, each of said control signals being associated with one of said reference frequencies and changing as a function of changes in either the EEG or the EMG biopotentials;
presenting representations of said at least two control signals to the user to enable the user to sense changes in each of said control signals as a function of changes in the brain and muscle activity; and
controlling the at least two functions of the device in response to the changes in each of said control signals, each of the at least two functions being controlled by one of the control signals.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for assisting a user to control a device in response to a combination of electroencephalographic and electromyographic potentials. The user selects a number of reference frequencies in a range of from 0.5 Hz to 45 Hz defining a like number of control signals. A digital lock-in amplifier is used with a moving average time window filter to produce control signals which are presented to the user. Control system responsiveness is controlled by adjusting the lengths of the moving average time windows. A phase-locked loop is closed around each control signal and is used to track the shifting frequencies of the control signals. The user is able to sense and control changes in the magnitude and frequency of the control signals in the control of the device. By sensing the changes in the magnitude and frequency of the control signals, the user is able to learn a combination of mental and/or physical activities for which changes in the electroencephalographic and electromyographic biopotentials are correlated to control of the device.
267 Citations
50 Claims
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1. A method for controlling at least two functions of a device in response to EEG biopotentials produced by brain activity in a user and EMG biopotentials produced by muscle activity in the user, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the EEG and EMG biopotentials; selecting at least two reference frequencies within a predetermined range of selectable frequencies; producing in response to the EEG and EMG biopotentials, a single input signal representing an aggregate of the EEG and EMG biopotentials, said single input signal changing as a function of changes in either the EEG or the EMG biopotentials; generating at least two control signals in response to said reference frequencies and said single input signal, each of said control signals being associated with one of said reference frequencies and changing as a function of changes in either the EEG or the EMG biopotentials; presenting representations of said at least two control signals to the user to enable the user to sense changes in each of said control signals as a function of changes in the brain and muscle activity; and controlling the at least two functions of the device in response to the changes in each of said control signals, each of the at least two functions being controlled by one of the control signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for controlling at least two functions of a device in response to EEG biopotentials produced by brain activity in a user and EMG biopotentials produced by muscle activity in the user, the apparatus comprising:
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a sensor adapted to be applied to the user for producing a single input signal representing an aggregate of the EEG and EMG biopotentials, said single input signal changing as a function of changes in either the EEG or EMG biopotentials; means for selecting at least two reference frequencies within a predetermined range of selectable frequencies; signal processing means responsive to said single input signal and said reference frequencies for generating at least two control signals, each of said control signals being associated with one of said reference frequencies and changing as a function of changes in either the EEG or the EMG biopotentials; means responsive to said control signals for presenting representations of said at least two control signals to the user, thereby enabling the user to sense changes in said control signals as a function of changes in the brain and muscle activity; and means responsive to said control signals for controlling the at least two functions of the device as a function of the changes in each of said control signals, each of the at least two functions of the device being controlled by one of the control signals. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of controlling at least two functions of a device in response to biopotentials produced by a user, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting the biopotentials; producing in response to the biopotentials a single input signal changing as a function of changes in the biopotentials; generating at least two control signals associated with at least two reference frequencies in response to the single input signal, each of the control signals being associated with one of the reference frequencies and changing as a function of the biopotentials; presenting representations of the control signals to the user to enable the user to sense changes in each of the control signals as a function of changes in the biopotentials; and controlling the at least two functions of the device in response to the changes in each of the control signals, each of the at least two functions being controlled by one of the control signals. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. An apparatus for controlling at least two functions of an external device in response to biopotentials produced by a user, the apparatus comprising:
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a sensor for producing a single input signal in response to detecting the biopotentials produced by the user, the single input signal changing as a function of changes in the biopotentials; a signal processor operatively connected to the sensor for periodically sampling the single input signal and generating at least two control signals in response to at least two reference frequencies and the single input signal, each of the control signals being associated with one of the reference frequencies and changing as a function of the biopotentials; an output device connected to the signal processor and providing representations of the control signals to the user to enable the user to sense changes in each of the control signals as a function of changes in the biopotentials; and a controller operatively connected to the signal processor and adapted to be connected to the external device and controlling the at least two functions of the external device in response to the changes in the control signals, each of the two functions being controlled by one of the control signals. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification