Non Invasive Brain Computer
Interfaces for Communication and
Control
Fabio Babiloni
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology,
University of Rome “La Sapienza”
Technologies for
the study of
brain functions
Epilepticus sic curabitur
('The way to cure an
epileptic')
Sloane Manuscript, collection
of medical manuscripts, end
of the 12th century - British
Museum, London
Technologies for the study of brain
functions
Cauterisation
(15th century)
Image taken from
the first medical
textbook
"Cerrahiyyet'ül
Haniyye", written in
Ottoman language by
the Turkish surgeon
Serafettin
Sabuncuoglu.
Hyeronimus Bosch, The stone of madness, El Prado, Madrid
Jan Sanders Van Hemessen (1500-1566), The surgeon 1550, El Prado, Madrid
Variations of EEG waves are correlated
with some mental states
8-12 Hertz,
mu EEG
waves
8-12 Hertz,
alpha EEG
waves
 “To move things is all that mankind can do; …
for such
the sole executant is muscle, whether in whispering a
syllabe or in felling a forest.”
Sir Charles Sherrington, 1924
What a BCI is
“Brain–computer interfaces (BCI’s) give their users
communication and control channels that do not
depend on the brain’s normal output channels of
peripheral nerves and muscles.”
“A BCI changes the electrophysiological signals from
mere reflections of CNS activity into the intended
product of the activity: messages and commands
that act on the world”
Wolpaw, 2002
BCI: logical scheme
appropriate feature extraction
Modification of
Brain Signals
Signal Features
Psychological
Effort
(Intention)
Classification
Of Intent
appropriate feedback strategy
computer training
user training
Increase of
performance
Environment
Movement-related thoughts elicited
specific cortical patterns
 Neuroscientific studies with fMRI
have demonstrated that motor
and parietal areas are involved in
the imagination of the limb
movements
 Several EEG studies have also
demonstrated that imagined
movements elicited
desynchronization patterns
different for right and left
movement imaginations
Imagined left movement
Executed left movement
Detection of mu rhythm
modulation
Detection of P300
Detection of Slow Cortical
Potentials
Detection of
steady-state VEPs
SINC 2007
11
Sensory motor rhythms
 SMR is a 8-12 Hz
oscillatory rhythm of
the brain’s electrical
activity.
 It is detected on the
central electrode sites
(over the sensorimotor
cortex)
 It is associated with
inhibition of motor
activity
From Wolpaw et al. 2002, Clinph
12
Detection of mu rhythm
modulation
Detection of P300
Detection of Slow Cortical
Potentials
Detection of
steady-state VEPs
SINC 2007
13
P300 potentials
 The P300 is an eventrelated potential,
dominating at parietal
electrode sites.
 P300 follows
unexpected sensory
stimuli or stimuli that
provide task related
information
 P300 speller
From Selllers & Donchin 2006, clinph
Research Applications
Speller
“Symbolic” Communication
Game
Environment Control
“Virtual” Mobility
Mobility
Neuroprosthesis
Ministero degli Affari Esteri
Progetto “Brain Computer Interfaces Between China and Italy (BCI2)”
Speller
Credits:
F. Aloise
F. Babiloni
U. Sapienza, Roma
S. Gao
Tsinghua Univ., RPC
B. Hong
Tsinghua Univ., RPC
Fondazione Banca Nazionale della Comunicazione
Progetto “Inclusione nella ICT di soggetti affetti da grave disabilità motoria tramite…”
Game
Credits:
F. Aloise
F. Babiloni
U. Sapienza, Roma
Fondazione Telethon
Progetto “ASPICE”
“Virtual” Mobility
Credits:
F. Aloise
G. Oriolo
U. Sapienza, Roma
A. Cherubini
U. Sapienza, Roma
European Commission – 6th Framework Programme
Progetto “MAIA” FP6
Mobility
Credits:
J. Millàn
IDIAP, CH
M. Nuttin
KU Leuven. B
F. Cincotti
FSL
P300-based control of a domestic
environment
Neuroprosthesis
Credits:
F. Babiloni
F.Aloise
F. Cincotti
FSL
M.C. Carrozza
SSSA, Pisa
Future trends
 “It’s always hard to make prediction,
especially about the future”
 “640 KB RAM will be adequate for
everybody in the future”
» Bill Gates, 1981
 “Computers are interesting, but the
mondial market for them is limited in
the future to not more of 5 pieces per
year”
» Thomas Watson, IBM president, 1949
 “People will not wear scalp electrodes
during normal daylife”
» Chief of Research and Development of
a mobile phone company