Mind reading to assist the physically impaired
The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) is co-ordinating a project under the umbrella of the ESPRIT programme of the European Union's Fourth Framework programme (FP4), aimed at facilitating the access of the physically impaired to the opportunities offered by today's information society. The project, known as ABI (Adaptive brain interfaces), is based at the JRC's Institute for Systems, Informatics and Safety and brings together companies from Italy and Finland. The ABI project makes it possible for people to interact with computer-based learning systems, through conscious control of their thoughts after a short training period. A cap with a few integrated electrodes acquires brain signals that are pre-processed. The portable brain interface has an embedded neural network classifier that recognises what mental task the wearer is concentrating on, which it does through analysing continuous variations of EEG rhythms over several cortical areas of the brain. By composing command sequences, or thoughts, a user is thus able to read a web page, interact with games, turn on appliances or even guide a wheelchair. The project seeks to develop individual brain interfaces because as no two people are identical, either physically or psychologically, the same system is not suitable for everybody. The immediate objective of ABI is to help physically disabled or impaired people by increasing their independence, and by facilitating access to the information society. The benefits of the system are however extensive. Possible uses include health and safety functions, such as monitoring a person's level of alertness, or aiding medical diagnosis of brain disorders. The facility may also be used for teaching and research in universities, and to provide new forms of education and entertainment.ompl
Kraje
Italy