top of page
Harini Mohanakumar

Brain-Computer Interface

Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) enable direct communication between the brain and external devices. With this technology, people may operate equipment with just their thoughts, which has the potential to revolutionize a number of industries, including gaming and healthcare. BCIs can create new opportunities for improving human skills and greatly improve the quality of life for those who have impairments.  


Naturally, humans use their peripheral nerves and muscles to interact with the outside physical environments in carrying out the desired actions. For patients suffering with severe neurological disorders, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and brainstem stroke, this requirement and foundation for survival come at a cost. These individuals need help from healthy individuals, who might not always be available, as they are unable to control external gadgets. Faced with this restriction, researchers and scientists have created a brain–computer interface (BCI) that translates brain signals into human activities without the need for external muscles or nerves. 


The three main parts of the BCI system are signal acquisition, signal processing, and application, which each have a distinct function. Together, these interdependent parts enable the transfer of brain signals to the intended BCI application. Under some circumstances, the BCI application may send control signals back to the brain in order to trigger common human functions like hearing and vision. An electronic device with electrodes is used for signal acquisition to record brain signals, which are oscillating electrical voltages brought on by the biological activity of the brain and which characterize its neurophysiological states. In order to identify brain activity and, consequently, encode the user's intent, the BCI system must extract important electrophysiological characteristics from the received data. This process is known as signal processing. Application is the process of using signals in modern technology to enhance people's quality of life. 


Overall, neuroscience, engineering, and artificial intelligence have come together in a revolutionary way with brain-computer interfaces. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) offer the potential to increase human capacities, change medical treatment, and redefine human-computer interactions by facilitating direct connection between the brain and external technologies.




1 view0 comments

Comments


bottom of page