A few days ago, HCI Lab
researchers published a paper at Computers and Graphics entitled "Embodied
VR environment facilitates training in motor imagery brain-computer interfaces".
Motor imagery (MI) is the predominant control paradigm for nowadays
brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). After sufficient training effort is invested,
the accuracy of commands mediated by mental imagery of bodily movements grows
to satisfactory level. However, many issues with MI-BCIs persist; e.g. long and
tiresome training, low bit transfer rate, BCI illiteracy. This study aims at
addressing the issues with MI-BCI training. In order to facilitate easier and
faster learning, an embodied training environment was created.
Participants were placed into
virtual reality scene seen from a first-person view of a human-like avatar, and
the mental rehearsal of MI actions was accompanied with corresponding movements
performed by the avatar. Leveraging extension of the sense of ownership,
agency, and self-location towards non-body object has already been proven to
help produce stronger MI EEG correlates. In this work, these principles were
used to facilitate the MI-BCI training process for the first time. After two
training sessions and final evaluation, the results show significantly higher
classification accuracy and score for the group trained in embodied environment,
compared to the control group trained with standard MI-BCI training protocol
with arrows.
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