The present study reports on the use of an EEG-based asynchronous (uncued, user-driven) brain-computer interface (BCI) for the control of functional electrical stimulation (FES). By the application of FES, noninvasive restoration of hand grasp function in a tetraplegic patient was achieved. The patient was able to induce bursts of beta oscillations by imagination of foot movement. These beta oscillations were recorded in a one EEG-channel configuration, bandpass filtered and squared. When this beta activity exceeded a predefined threshold, a trigger for the FES was generated. Whenever the trigger was detected, a subsequent switching of a grasp sequence composed of 4 phases occurred. The patient was able to grasp a glass with the paralyzed hand completely on his own without additional help or other technical aids.
This article is part of the series Trends in Brain Computer Interfaces.
Research Article
EEG-Based Asynchronous BCI Controls Functional Electrical Stimulation in a Tetraplegic Patient
1 Laboratory of Brain-Computer Interfaces, Institute of Computer Graphics and Vision, and Ludwig Boltzmann-Institute for Medical Informatics and Neuroinformatics, Graz University of Technology, Inffeldgasse 16a, Graz 8010, Austria
2 Laboratory of Brain-Computer Interfaces, Institute of Computer Graphics and Vision, Graz University of Technology, Inffeldgasse 16a, Graz 8010, Austria
3 Department of Traumatology, Hospital Villach, Nikolaigasse 43, Villach 9400, Austria
4 Department II, Orthopedic Hospital of Heidelberg University, Schlierbacher Landstraße 200a, Heidelberg 69118, Germany
EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing 2005, 2005:628453 doi:10.1155/ASP.2005.3152
The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://asp.eurasipjournals.com/content/2005/19/628453
| Received: | 29 January 2004 |
| Published: | 17 November 2005 |
© 2005 Pfurtscheller et al.
